The Democratic Republic of Congo is Africa’s second largest country covering 2 345 million square kilometres. With its tropical rain forests and tropical savannahs, it is considered the most biodiverse country in Africa. While most conservation efforts in the country have been focussed on the endemic great ape species, there is a growing concern for pangolins due to the illegal wildlife trade. The DRC is home to three of the four African pangolin species: giant pangolins, white-bellied pangolins and black-bellied pangolins.
Since its inception, the African Pangolin Working Group has forged relationships with local stakeholders on the ground in several locations across the country, and our rehabilitation experts have advised, supported and funded pangolin rescues. Most of them have been behind the scenes operations, with the occasional rescue story too eventful not to share.
Why travel to the DRC?
When Dr Kelsey Skinner joined the team this year, she arrived fresh from two years working within Vietnam, a global pangolin trade hotspot. Her work focused on capacity building for pangolin rescue and rehabilitation, guiding multiple local and other continental conservation groups on best practice protocols. Imparting her knowledge of the very specific needs of traumatised pangolins and finding practical ways to achieve this goal, left a legacy that will continue to grow.
Recent high numbers of remote rescues have put the team further in touch with conservationists and vets in Kolwezi, Kinshasha, and As a result, Dr Kelsey and co-chair Nicci Wright are planning a two week trip to the DRC to meet up with these contacts and gain a deeper understanding of the conservation challenges they face, and investigate ways to provide support in partnership, working from a well-rounded and effective background of pangolin conservation model knowledge in South Africa and Vietnam
We will report back and let you know how YOU can help with this work in the near future.
“One individual cannot possibly make a difference, alone. It is individual efforts, collectively, that makes a noticeable difference – all the difference in the world!” Jane Goodall
You can make a small difference now
Dr Kelsey has been nominated for the the Worldwide Vets Golden Star Award for 2025. The winner is chosen by public vote which is open from 20 October – 13 November, with the top 10 finalists being announced on November 14.
Dr Kelsey’s unwavering commitment to conserve pangolins continues to inspire us all. Her continued veterinary excellence and compassionate care, for all animals here in South Africa, as well as beyond our borders makes her a worthy recipient that we are proud to have as part of our team.
We are proud to announced the opening of our state-of-the-art pangolin veterinary and rehabilitation facility within the pristine Lapalala Wilderness Reserve, on World Pangolin Day – February 15th, 2025.
APWG co-chair Alexis Kriel addresses the gathered guests
The inauguration event, held over the course of the weekend, marked a significant milestone in the conservation efforts for Temminck’s pangolin, in South Africa, and for the APWG.
Guests entering the Pangolarium for the first time; APWG founder Prof Ray Jansen gets a guided tour from co-chair Nicci Wright; Lunch in the lapa after the opening
Guests included conservationists, representatives from environmental organisations, ecologists, and scientists, all united in their support for the APWG’s ongoing contribution to pangolin conservation in South Africa. Lapalala Wilderness Reserve, spanning approximately 48 000 hectares in Limpopo province, within the UNESCO designated Waterberg Biosphere, offers an ideal environment for pangolin rehabilitation. The reserve’s diverse ecosystems and state-of-the-art security ensure that rehabilitated pangolins have the best chance for a successful reintroduction back into the wild.
The team that made it all happen: Kate Hughes (Lepogo Lodges); Nicci Wright and Alexis Kriel (APWG co-chairs); Glenn Phillips (CEO Lapalala Wilderness); Gareth Thomas (APWG) and Prof Ray Jansen (founder and past chair APWG)
The Pangolarium (meaning a “place for pangolins”) is a purpose-built facility that aims to enhance the rescue, veterinary high care, rehabilitation, and reintroduction processes for pangolins rescued from the illegal wildlife trade on the west side of Limpopo Province, also accessible from the north of the province, and with a doorway into North West Province. Equipped with advanced medical and husbandry resources, the centre provides a facility where this vulnerable species can recover and prepare for a return to their natural habitat. It will also serve as a basecamp for the APWG’s ongoing research and education initiatives.
The building of the facility has been financed by Lepogo Lodges – an NGO Lodge operator on Lapalala Wilderness Reserve and the Sustainability winner of the Ahead Travel Awards, for Melote House, in the MEA division.
Limpopo Province is historically the province with the highest incidence of pangolins retrieved from the illegal trade, sharing borders with Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Botswana – all pangolin range countries – where transboundary collaborators facilitate the poaching and sale of pangolins in South Africa. Pangolins are currently considered the most illegally trade non-human mammal on the planet, with the eight species (four in Africa and four in Asia) varying from vulnerable to endangered on the IUCN Red List, and with all populations decreasing. They have been resident on earth for 85 million years.
The APWG invites the global community to join in supporting our pangolin conservation efforts. For more information on how to contribute or get involved, please visit our donations page.
Our Together for Pangolins evening at CIRCA Gallery in Rosebank was a raging success.
The evening started on the upper deck and Darwin Room of the Circa Gallery with glasses of wine from Painted Wolf Wine and Waterford Estate, Vergelegen sparkling wine and a delicious harvest table from Service Station Cafe. A spectacular view of the sunset over Johannesburg, a fire pit and fantastic company set the mood for the evening.
Harvest table spread from Service Station Cafe in Melville
At 6:30pm the guest went down to the Middle Gallery to view the wonderful art and enjoy a video of pangolin photos put together by John Culverwell of Adlip video services.
Christine Read opened the event, followed by co-chair, Nicci Wright, who gave an informative talk about the essential work being done by the African Pangolin Working Group.
APWG co-chair Nicci Wright
After this opening, multi-award winning writer/director of My Octopus Teacher, Pippa Ehrlich, kept the gathering captivated with a talk about her next Netflix documentary, which centres around a special relationship with a pangolin and his minder.
Pippa Ehrlich with part of her rapt audience
Susie Goodman of Strauss & Co was a fantastic auctioneer of the curated art and luxury items in our live auction. Our guest enjoyed some lively bidding using the pangolin shaped paddles especially made for us by the Aluminum Trading Group. After the auction, our guest enjoyed more food and wine.
The full thank you list
Mark and Christine Read and their brilliant team at Everard Read Galleries for their generosity and support.
Carolynne Waterhouse of Rand Merchant Bank for her guidance and indefatigable energy and enthusiasm for pangolins.
Susie Goodman, Jackie Murray, Keanu Crause and the rest of the Strauss & Co team for their incredible generosity and support of the online and live auctions. Especially Susie for her auctioneering talents at the live auction.
Guy du Toit for being inspired enough to make three enchanting bronzes of hares with pangolins especially for this event.
Monique Landman (Everard Read) for hanging the artworks so expertly in the CIRCA Gallery.
Jillian Johnson (Everard Read) whose smile lit up every conversation and was our point of contact in the management of the event.
Magnificent Pippa Erhlich for her enthralling talk and for the fascinating peek into the world of award-winning wildlife filmmaking.
Angus and Piet from African Massive
Angus Morton and Piet Modiba from Africa Massive for once again providing stellar audio-visual services.
Carmen vd Merwe from Service Station Café for the out-of-this-world delicious food.
Painted Wolf Wines for their wine and their constant support of conservation and endangered species.
John Culverwell of Adlip video services for his beautiful videos and for technical support.
Douw van Heerden for being our artist in residence and creating under the spotlight on the night.
Peter Girdwood – making gorgeous frames from Kajima’s travelling box for Gareth’s photos of Kajima.
Rowena Allan for the luxurious picnic baskets.
Amy Irving and Demz Viljoen-Doyle for their huge help on the night.
Stunning auction paddles in the shape of pangolins donated by Christopher and Andy of Aluminium Trading Group.
All the artists, artisans and donors, who so generously supported us with artwork and who turned up to support us on the evening.
All the people who bought tickets to the event and bid so enthusiastically in the auction.
Clockwise from left: Comma by Steven John Wilkins, Smutsia Temminckii – Temminck Ground Pangolin by Gillian Condy, Tshukudu Njana, Uyema (Maquette) by Angus Taylor, Seated Hare with Pangolin by Guy du Toit
Clockwise from top left: Singularity by Gareth Thomas, So Below by Gareth Thomas, Pangolin Boy by Robert Rorich
Clockwise from left: Balancing Act by John Moore, We are all in this Together by John Moore, Icon series: Pangolin by John Moore, Freedom Feels by Gareth Thomas
The following pieces were full donations by these outstandingly generous people:
Robert Rorich who donated his bronze sculpture Pangolin Boy.
Carolynne Waterhouse for the donations of the Noush Doll, Addo Flightless Dung Beetle, and Lion Paw, both by Robert Leggat.
Gareth Thomas for his donation of three photographic images and Kajima’s transport box that was used for the frames.
Gareth Thomas, photographer, talking about his special relationship with the pangolin, Kajima, who was featured in three photographs donated to the fund raiser.
Gillian Condy for her original Temminck’s pangolin water colour.
Carol Slabolepszy for her acrylic-resin Mother and Pup sculpture in silver-grey pewter finish.
Jez Prettejohn of African Pewter for the pangolin salad servers.
With the generosity of our donors and supporters we raised good funding for our work, but more than that, pangolins were very beautifully showcased, magnifying their extraordinary and unique charm. You couldn’t help but fall in love with them.
TOGETHER FOR PANGOLINS, on July 25th, is a collaboration between Everard Read Gallery, Stauss & Co Art Auctioneers, and the African Pangolin Working Group. The aim is to raise awareness and funds for the continued work of saving pangolins now and in the future. Everard Read has donated its CIRCA Art Gallery for this event – an architectural landmark, on the Keyes Art Mile. CIRCA winds its way up three stories in a Fibonacci spiral – a golden ratio found all throughout nature, and significantly in the coil of a pangolin.
The speaker at the event is Pippa Ehrlich – the multi-award winning co-writer and director of the Netflix documentary “My Octopus Teacher”. Pippa will talk about her next film, which explores the intimate relationship between a pangolin named Kajima and his minder Gareth Thomas, while Kajima was being rehabilitated and then released back into a protected wildlife reserve. Gareth Thomas will also be at CIRCA event, and his photograph of Kajima – framed in the wood of Kajima’s sleeping box, will be on auction.
Pangolin Candle Holders by Ardmore Design, Donated by Charles Grieg Jewellers
Balancing Act by John Moore. An edition is also available in the online auction.
Freedom Feels by Gareth Thomas
Hare with Pangolin by Guy du Toit
Hare with Pangolin by Guy du Toit
Icon Series – Pangolin by John Moore. An edition is also available in the online auction
Girl with Pangoln Noush Doll. Donated by Caroline Waterhouse
Bronze Pangolin by Robert Leggat
Pangolin and pup by Carol Slabolepsky
Pewter Pangolin Salad Servers by African Pewter.
Pewter Pangolins by African Pewter.
Two night stay for two at andBeyond Phinda Mountain or Forest Lodge. Donated by andBeyond
Dung beetle sculpture by Robert Leggat.
Pangolin Cuff by Susan von Zahn
Two night stay for two at Umlani Bush Camp. Donate by Umlani
For the event at CIRCA Art Gallery, a curated collection of mainly pangolin-themed artworks and sculptures, will be auctioned, by the dynamic Executive Director of Strauss & Co, Susie Goodman.
Online Auction at Strauss & Co
Also for pangolin conservation, and running concurrently with the July 25th event at CIRCA; Strauss & Co will have an exhibition of works for viewing at their gallery, in Houghton, Johannesburg, which will be auctioned from their online platform, between July 24th and August 5th – accessed through the Strauss & Co website. The works are all by upcoming and established artists and sculptors, who have aligned themselves with this important conservation cause.
Comma by Steven John Wilkins
The Bringer of Rain by Douw van Heerden
Together into the Light by Douw van Heerden
Singularity by Gareth Thomas
SoBelow by Gareth Thomas
Gender Responsibility by Wayne Barker
Pangolin by Gerbrand van Heerden
Untitled (Pangolin) by Gerbrand van Heerden
Smutsia Temminckii – Temminck Ground Pangolin by Gillian Condy
Red Earth Pangolin by Lin Barrie
Deft Series – Pangolin by John Moore
Pangolin Boy by Robert Rorich
Regeneration by Marilyn MacDowell
Seated Hare with Pangolin by Guy du Toit
Trashed by Wayne Barker
Tshukudu Njana, Uyema (Maquette) by Angus Taylor
We Are All in This Together by John Moore
The artist, speaker and donors of these events have been incredibly generous and all have an intense love of endangered species and the environment in which they live. We would like to thank them all!
Other donors include Painted Wolf Wines, Rand Merchant Bank, Africa Massive, Umlani Bushcamp, andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, Vergelegen Wine Estate, Adlip Video, Reciprocal Wine Company, Charles Greig Jewellers, African Pewter, Carolynne Waterhouse and Mark-it Wise.
At the African Pangolin Working Group we have some inkling of the love that our followers have for pangolins because of comments on social media and support for our work. Every now and then we get an insight into this love that makes us stop and breathe until our hearts stop hurting.
Recently we received a series of directed donations in memory of Melinda de Beer, whose last wish was to help pangolins.
Her husband, Andre sent us this tribute to his wife:
“A teacher by profession, she always cared about animals and especially the vulnerable. We live in Pretoria, and she assisted a local animal welfare group on hundreds of occasions raising bird chicks that were found abandoned or injured. Some of their descendants probably still live in our garden!
The Kruger Park was her favourite place, and her self-taught knowledge of wildlife was amazing. We were fortunate to visit Kruger on numerous occasions during her last months with us.
I think Melinda started following the work you do some months prior to her passing. This must have made a huge impression on her as she was very clear that a collection be taken at her celebration of life, with your organisation as the beneficiary.”
Melinda’s memorial donations are funding telemetry for Kajima, a young male pangolin who is on the cusp of leaving his monitored release programme to venture out and establish his own territory. This gift will allow us to keep tabs on him for the next stage in his journey to becoming a completely independent pangolin living his best pangolin life.
Our heartfelt gratitude to Melinda’s friends and family who so generously honoured her wishes. Our hearts are full.
It is hard enough keeping pangolins safe in countries at peace, but even harder when you are stuck in the middle of a conflict zone. This account of a pangolin rescue had been put together from the WhatApp messages between an incredible team of dedicated conservationist from across the African continent who spent four days moving a pangolin pup approximately 300 km through a war zone.
The militia reported that the mother and pup had been together for the four days they had been in captivity, but that no one had seen the pup feeding. Concerned, Alain reached out to a WhatApp group formed in 2022, when he originally contacted Alexis Kriel (African Pangolin Working Group co-chair), for help with a pangolin retrieval.
Apart from Alexis and Alain, the group included Dr. Mark Ofua, a white-bellied pangolin expert from St Marks Animal Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, Dr Luis Flores, Veterinarian, and Itsaso Velez del Burgo, Technical Director, both from Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Centre in DRC. She now added Nicci Wright, pangolin rehabilitation specialist and co-chair of the APWG, as well as Omer Paluku, assistant to the Executive Secretary for the UGADEC. As the days went by and the situation became more critical, she would include Lisa Hywood from the Tikki Hywood Foundation, one of the first pangolin conservation groups in the world, and active in pangolin ranges throughout Africa..
Based on the video and photos available, Dr. Mark Ofua estimated that the pup was between 3-4 months old and would still be fed by the mother. They also considered the pup to be too active for its reported starvation and the perhaps the mother had been suckling the pup to her detriment as she was already lethargic. All parties advised that the mother and pup be placed together in a dark and quiet place and if possible, weigh the pup before and after they had been together for some time, to get a sense of whether the pup was feeding.
It was also established that the area around Pinga was not an ideal place to release the pangolins, as previous release attempts had resulted in the pangolins being recaptured and eaten. A plan formed to transport the pangolins by road to UGADEC in Goma, then by boat down Lake Kivu to Bakavu and then a taxi ride from Bakuvu to Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Centre. The transportation of a stressed-out pangolin and pup the 150 km from Pinga to Goma on a good day in ideal conditions would take more than 5 hours, so the team started weighing up methods and costs. The easiest and most economical way would be by motorbike, but it was decided that a 4×4 vehicle would cause less stress to the pangolin, but it would be much more expensive. The African Pangolin Working Group agreed to fund a 4×4 vehicle for the 2 days it was estimated they would need to get from Goma to Pinga and back.
Late in the evening of the first day, the rangers caring for the mother were anxious about her health as she seemed to be getting weaker, despite being taken out to forage for ants. She was still alive the next morning as the team stepped up efforts to get her to a vet in Goma.
24 January 2023
Money is transferred for the hire of a 4×4 vehicle with a driver in Goma. The vehicle sets off with Alain Mitondo from UGADEC and Désiré Kapitula, the Chief Warden of the Kisimba Ikobo Primate Reserve. In the meantime, the medics on the team advised the people on the ground of the best hydration solution to administer to the mother and contingency plans for feeding the pup should she not survive.
Loading the pup carefully into the travel box. Photo courtesy UGADEC
By the evening, the team was waiting for news of the pangolins and of the 4×4 team, but no one could be reached.
January 25 2023
Early on the morning, the chief warden contacted Omer with the news that conflict had broken out between M23 rebels* and the DRC army at Kitshanga and they were stuck at Kiloriwe on the road to Pinga. The 4×4 team could not move forward past Kitchanga, nor could they turn back from Goma. Then the sad news came from Pinga – that the mother pangolin had died.
Now the pressure was on to save the pup. Royal Canin puppy or kitten formula was recommended as the best substitute, but is not available in Pinga, so the team had to fall back on a temporary alternative milk recipe provided by Lisa Hywood.
By midday, Team 4×4 had moved back to Sake (28 km from Goma) and had headed north west on another road toward Masisi to try and get to Pinga via a different route. The pup was in the capable hands of Balume, a community ranger known for his bravery, experienced in animal care, and wildlife transfer.
By late afternoon, Balume had managed to make his way with the pup and the body of the mother from Pinga to Mutongo where he met up with the 4×4 team. The mother’s body was transported in a container separate from the pup so that it could be disposed of in a safe way in case of disease and also because the group did not want her skin and scales to be sold in the trade.
The pangolins were finally on their way to Goma, but due to the lateness of the transfer, they spent a night at Masisi and had to resume their journey the next day.
January 26 2023
By midday, the pangolins had reached Goma, but none of the vets were available, so it was decided to get them to the port as soon as possible to catch the fast boat that leaves for Bukavu at 2 pm.
Both the pup and the body of the mother had been placed on the boat, and the necessary paperwork given to the captain.
Four hours later, the boat arrived at Bukavu port where a taxi was waiting to transport them to Lwiro.
By 8:30pm reports were coming in from Dr Luis Flores. The baby was tiny but active and they were preparing to feed it for the first time since arriving.
Sujaa weighing in – photo courtesy Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Centre
January 27 2023
Four days after first being alerted to her plight, this young female white-bellied pangolin pup was named by Alain, the first responder and one of the team who got her from Pinga to Goma. Her name is Sujaa, which is Swahili for courageous.
Sujaa and Dr Luis Flores, Veterinarian at Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Centre
She continues to thrive under the care of the team at Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Centre, with guidance from the pangolin specialists in the WhatsApp group. This approach has proven to us that collaboration is the key and it takes a village to save species. The IUCN Pangolin Specialist group’s theme for World Pangolin Day 2023 is “working with communities” which makes this effort by some of its members a perfect way to celebrate the day.
*For more information on the M23 rebels and the conflict, here is some further reading. The human cost of this conflict is widely reported, but conservationist on the ground would also highlight the cost to the wildlife and the environment in the region. They are silent victims in these on-going clashes.
If you missed APWG co-chair, Alexis Kriel and Wildlife photographer, Gareth Thomas in conversation with Pea Horsley last year, then you can catch up or re-watch them here.
Who are the people involved?
PEA HORSLEY is the UK’s most highly regarded animal communication specialists. Sowing the seeds of profound transformation, her goal is to deepen our personal and spiritual understanding of the natural world, re-wilding our connection along the way by offering grounded, practical, and compassionate teachings to everyone from complete beginners and those with more developed intuitive skills.
ALEXIS KRIEL is the African Pangolin Working Group’s Co-Chairperson. She comes from a media background as a journalist and film maker; she has managed her own businesses; has an international certification in wildlife rehabilitation from the IWRC (International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council) and is a member of the IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group. Alexis started working with pangolins in 2014 with the rehabilitation of pangolin pups in the Central African Republic – she qualifies as one of a handful of people in the world who has worked hands-on with three of the four African pangolin species.
GARETH THOMAS was born and raised in South Africa, but spent most of his school holidays in the wild in Zimbabwe, which is where his deep love of nature was seeded. Although he would only reap the fruits of this much later on in his mid 30’s.At this point, he began seeking adventure, which led him to picking up a camera and returning to the African wild. Here, surrounded by wildlife, he found the greatest sense of purpose, peace and meaning. Nothing he had done in his life prior to this had truly activated his heart. He then quite serendipitously found pangolin, who “expanded my heart beyond anything I could have imagined. Pangolin became my greatest teacher!”
Talking with the Ancient Ones Part 1/2
Talking with the Ancient Ones Part 2/2
We have long known that pangolins that have been rescued from the trade suffer from PTSD. They react negatively to situations and noises that remind them for their time in activity. These triggers can include loud male voices, loud music, the smell of cigarette smoke and the smell of beer. While these are not considered entirely measurable, science is catching up with the idea that animal sentience can be measured.
We are happy that it is an overall win for wildlife, especially the agreement about pangolins.
Pangolins were off to a good start when the UK’s proposed amendments to a document aiming to close pangolin markets garnered significant support among Parties on the floor.
While some Parties supported the document as written, a number agreed on the inclusion of the Secretariat’s comments and some acknowledged the burden of reporting – but all agreed that the proposed amendments would be effective for providing pangolins with urgently needed protection.
The document, with additional minor amendments from Thailand, was nearing the finish line until an intervention was made by China. Advocating for regulated legal markets instead of closure, China also pushed back on the issue of stockpile management, claiming it would not entertain CITES overstepping its scope by interfering with Parties’ domestic affairs.
Eventually, it was decided that the discussed amendments would be made into a Comm Document, which would be reopened later. In the spirit of cooperation, the UK and China met to negotiate new language, which in effect watered down the strength of the text on the closure of domestic markets.
Behind the scenes over one evening and an early morning, like-minded NGOs – including EIA, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Born Free, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Humane Society International (HIS) and Fauna & Flora International (FFI) – lobbied Parties in support of the original Comm Document without the new amendments, which paid off on the floor when many Parties, including Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Benin, Malaysia, Togo, Liberia, Bangladesh, Kenya, the US and the EU, spoke up in support.
China ultimately requested a vote, resulted in the amended text being voted out, with 64 per cent voting no versus 36 per cent for yes. Subsequently, a vote on the original Comm Document led to a resounding yes, with 82 per cent in support.
There it was – consensus to close domestic markets in pangolin parts and derivatives. Despite the result, there were some remarks made on the floor by Parties not in support to express their dissatisfaction, stating that ‘any decisions interfering (with) our national sovereignty will not be acceptable forever’.
Yet, as Senegal said best, “we encourage countries in the name of democracy to accept the decisions that have been made … I urge countries to respect the outcome of this decision.”
For all the resources the IEA have collected from CoP19, click here
To download the CITES 2022 pangolin fact sheet, click here
Thank you to every person who attended and gave wildlife a voice.
While the world has been focussing on CoP 27 United Nations Climate Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, there is another, related and equally important CoP meeting happening in Panama for the next 10 days – the CITES CoP Conference.
‘CoP’ meeting is the most important meeting in the context of CITES, as Parties take on a significant body of tasks, including the following:
Reviewing progress in the conservation of species included in the Appendices;
Debating proposals to amend the lists of species in Appendices I and II;
Discussing documents and reports from Parties, the Standing Committee, the Animals Committee, the Plants Committee, or the Secretariat;
Recommending measures to improve the effectiveness of the Convention, including the drafting and adoption of Resolutions and Decisions to be implemented by all Parties, the Standing Committee, the Scientific Committees and the Secretariat;
Meetings of the Conference of the Parties are attended not only by CITES Parties but also by observers, including representatives of multilateral and non-governmental organizations involved in conservation or trade.
‘CoP 19’ will mark the 19th time that Parties have gathered since the Convention entered into force in 1975.
Some items of interest
Thursday 17th November:
Scaling up efforts to address pangolin trafficking in Africa
A side event with delegates from Gabon, Government of Kenya, Nigeria Customs, Fauna & Flora International and the IUCN SSC Pangolin SG
Tuesday 15th November:
Coopération internationale pour l’analyse des grandes saisies d’ivoire et de pangolins – l’expérience du laboratoire de génétique du Gabon [International cooperation for the analysis of large seizures of ivory and pangolins – the experience of the genetics laboratory of Gabon]
A side event held by the Goverment of Gabon
Monday 21st November:
Participation of Local Communities in the Management of Protected Areas and Biodiversity Economy: A South Africa’s People and Parks, Wildlife and Bioprospecting Economy Programmes Implementation
A side event hosted by the South African Department of Forestry Fisheries and the Environment
Tuesday 22 November:
Creating a coordinated approach to combat wildlife crime linked to the internet
A side event hosted by Costa Rica and IFAW
There are many interesting subjects under discussion. To see the entire list, click here
To live stream the sessions of this conference, click here.
Committee 2 deals with implementation matters, including species-specific matters. From Tuesday 15th onwards, you can livestream either Committee 1 or Committee 2.Live streaming starts at around 14h00 in South Africa (Panama is several hours behind us)
Wildlife trafficking on the internet
There are a few items on the agenda focusing on combating the role played by the internet in connecting traffickers to potential clients. To illustrate this very serious point, here is an article that appeared in the South China Morning Post today. It exposes some of the social media channels used to sell animals and their parts
On a ‘Buy and Sell Wildlife’ Facebook page, a broker proudly shows off photos featuring kilos of two-inch scales from the pangolin – a mammal whose skin and scales have made it one of the world’s most trafficked creatures.
We hope you can attend some of these discussion, albeit virtually, and if you feel strongly about the issues on hand, take action by supporting local conservation efforts to stop the illegal trade in wildlife.
January 26 2023
