Benard Agwanda, a research scientist at the National Museum of Kenya, explains how the use of a sacrificial pangolin provided insight into the properties of the scales, making it easier to identify trafficked pangolins. For his part, Joshua Omele, an expert in pangolin tracking, highlights the challenges linked to the frequent loss of tracking tags, thus hampering the monitoring of these endangered animals.
Beryl Makori, Programs and Habitat Manager at The Pangolin Project, highlights the dangers pangolins face, including electric fences erected by farmers. These obstacles reveal the need to raise awareness among local communities to better protect these fragile mammals.
Philemon Chebet, forest manager at the Trans Mara Station of the Kenya Wildlife Service, stresses the importance of community awareness to ensure the survival of pangolins in the Nyakweri Forest, highlighting the crucial role of preventive actions in conservation of wild life.
Indeed, illegal hunting, deforestation and the pangolin trade threaten their existence. Three species of pangolins present in Kenya are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), putting the survival of these iconic animals at risk.
Faced with these challenges, conservationists are implementing innovative methods such as tracking pangolins by their scales and working with local communities to ensure safe habitats. The Pangolin Project, a non-governmental organization, works with landowners in the Nyakweri Forest to reconcile the interests of pangolins and farmers through habitat preservation initiatives.
Despite the obstacles, the emerging confidence in the Nyakweri forest shows that peaceful cohabitation is possible between man and nature. Kenya is committed to protecting its pangolin populations, offering a glimmer of hope for the future of these fascinating creatures.
As the world celebrates World Pangolin Day on February 17, Kenya’s dedication to preserving these rare animals is an inspiring example of the fight to preserve biodiversity.