Giant Pangolins 'need time to shine' says Chester Zoo

Leader Live

24-04-2025

The zoo is taking part in the Big Green Give between April 22 to 29, and all the funds raised will help protect pangolins in Africa.
By sheer coincidence, Pangolin: Kulu's Journey also debuts on Netflix this week.
The documentary, directed by Pippa Ehrlich, who also directed My Octopus Teacher, tells the story of a trafficked Temminck's pangolin and his path to re-release.
Chester Zoo has been working with pangolins in Uganda since 2018 and is now reaching out to members of the public to support this year's Big Give campaign, which focuses on the giant pangolin.
Thanks to increased media attention, pangolins are, hopefully, having a 'moment' which, according to Naomi Matthews, Africa Biomonitoring Manager in the zoo's Field Programmes team, is about time.
Naomi has been advocating for pangolins since she joined the zoo 12 years ago and now manages the Chester Zoo giant pangolin project, working closely with the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
She said: 'I was 21 when I first discovered what a pangolin was, while watching a David Attenborough documentary.
'I couldn't believe I'd never heard of them before, and they quickly became one of my favourite animals.
'Once I learned about the threats they face, I was passionate about making sure the zoo got involved in their conservation.'
Pangolins are unique as the only mammals with scales.
There are currently eight recognised species of pangolin, all threatened by poaching and habitat loss.
Among them, the giant pangolin is one of the least documented and least understood and is also one of the most trafficked animals in the world.
Naomi is blending field conservation – coordinating a conservation assessment of the species through camera trapping, behavioural research, and direct pangolin protection – with academic study, as her PhD research forms part of the project.
'I just think they're fascinating,' she said.
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'I've always loved the weird and wonderful mammals—the ones that don't really fit into other categories.
'Our whole team is passionate about pangolins, and it's that passion that keeps us going.
'Studying them is incredibly difficult and often challenging, but that's also what makes it so rewarding.
'We see waves of interest in particular animals.
''I think a lot of it is driven by social media and pop culture.
'First everyone was obsessed with meerkats, then capybaras, and now pygmy hippos are having a moment. I think it's time for pangolins.'
Naomi's PhD on the conservation ecology of giant pangolins has been breaking new ground in understanding the species.
So little is known about these gentle creatures that much of her work is starting from scratch.
'One of the highlights of researching them is watching them on our camera trap videos,' said Naomi.
'My PhD research set out to answer some of the key questions about giant pangolin, conservation ecology and behaviour.
'But it quickly became clear that to do that, we'd have to first improve our knowledge of where and how to find them—then work on counting them by developing new survey methods.'
Naomi added: 'We're often asked: 'If you struggle to find them, how are they being so heavily poached?'
'The answer is that poachers often operate in large groups, sometimes with up to 20 hunting dogs, which sniff out pangolins and other wildlife indiscriminately.
'In contrast, we have to be far more wide-reaching, surveying up to 300 burrows at a time. We must be subtle, non-invasive, and patient.'
There is a way to help pangolins have their moment and keep the giant pangolin project rolling.
If you donate £5 during the Big Give Green Match Fund, we'll receive £10 – doubling your impact to help save this vulnerable species from extinction.
From April 22-29, match-funders at Big Give have pledged to double all donations made to Chester Zoo's pangolin fund.
The zoo is aiming to raise more than £16,000, which will go directly towards supporting pangolin conservation efforts in Uganda.
Pledge here from noon on April 22 to help save giant pangolins at https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05WS0000023SxtYAE?c=60466