The Pangolin Crisis Fund (PCF) was launched in mid-2019, with the mission of saving all eight species of pangolins from extinction due to widespread illegal trade of their scales, meat, and body parts. In its debut year, the PCF has already enabled important projects in Africa and Asia to protect pangolins and curb the illegal pangolin trade around the world.
The PCF has invested in four significant projects across several countries, including China and South Africa, and disbursed over $164,500 to four grantees. The PCF hopes to gain momentum and considerably increase the amount of funding it can disburse in 2020, all with the goal of raising $1.5 million by 2021 to stop the demand and trafficking of pangolin products.
Below you will learn more about the work being done by the PCF’s first grant recipients.
- Environmental Investigation Agency received a grant from the PCF in support of investigations into the trans-national illegal trade in pangolins. Intelligence generated will inform campaigning efforts to advocate for more proactive international-level government law enforcement that disrupts the organized-crime groups involved.
- Tikki Hywood Foundation is continuing their innovative pangolin rescue and rehabilitation program with the help of funding from the PCF. In addition to Zimbabwe, they are now expanding into South Africa, where they are working with landowners to install pangolin-safe electric fences to reduce accidental fatalities, the primary threat to pangolins in that country.
- WildAid is raising awareness about pangolins and working to reduce the demand for their body parts in China. The grant they received from the PCF will help them campaign to end China’s use of medicines manufactured from pangolin scales in hospitals, protecting pangolins from the current high demand for them as ingredients.
- Wildlife Justice Commission has been supported by the PCF to expand their covert investigations into the underground illegal pangolin trade between Africa and Asia. The details are confidential, given the risks to personnel working on the illicit trafficking.
The Pangolin Crisis Fund will continue to support effective projects of those working to save pangolins from extinction. With more action already in the works, 2020 will be a year of hope for pangolins.