Tuesday, October 2, 2012

[Conservation 2012] IUCN / SSC Pangolin Specialist Group


Chinese pangolin Manis pentadactyla 
recently upgraded to Endangered on the IUCN Red List 

New website highlights the plight of the pangolin

Scaly, insect-devouring, nocturnal, and notoriously shy, pangolins are strange mammals who remain unknown to many. But they are facing a major crisis as they are stolen from the wild in East Asia to serve as meat or traditional medicine. In Asia, two of the four species are now listed as Endangered due largely to poaching. Now, a new expert group through the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) aims to work toward better research and conservation of the world's imperiled pangolins, starting with launching a new website, PangolinSG   


The Chinese pangolin Manis pentadactyla has recently been upgraded to Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to relentless poaching. Photo by: Gary Ades/KFBG


The World's Pangolin Species

Asian species
Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), Near Threatened
Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis), Near Threatened
Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), Endangered
Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica), Endangered

African species
Giant pangolin (Manis gigantea), Least Concern
Ground pangolin (Manis temminckii), Least Concern
Tree pangolin (Manis tricuspis), Near Threatened
Long-tailed pangolin (Manis tetradactyla), Least Concern


New website highlights the plight of the pangolin
http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0925-hance-pangolin-website.html