About

The IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group is a voluntary network of experts from around the world including field biologists, social scientists, zoologists, veterinarians, ecologists and geneticists, all of whom are actively involved in pangolin research and conservation.

We are an advisory body to IUCN and currently have 148 members from 37 countries around the globe.

The Pangolin Specialist Group was re-established in February 2012 in recognition of the widespread threats to pangolins globally and to address the lack of understanding of the species and their conservation needs.

Our Mission

The Pangolin Specialist Group’s mission is to:

To work within the framework of the IUCN SSC to secure a future for wild pangolins through advancing knowledge on pangolin status, threats and conservation priorities, and by catalysing action to conserve them.

Objectives

The Pangolin Specialist Group’s overarching objective is to serve as leaders in pangolin conservation globally by:

• Assessing the conservation status of pangolins for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
• Providing advice to IUCN and other conservation stakeholders
• Catalysing and undertaking scientific research to learn more about pangolins, the nature and severity of their threats, and to devise appropriate conservation actions
• Contributing to multilateral environmental agreements on pangolin related issues (e.g. CITES)
• Developing global conservation strategies and supporting the development of species-specific, national and regional conservation strategies
• Providing technical support to pangolin research and conservation projects and advising on captive husbandry, rescue and release protocols.

Structure

Chairs
Ms Keri Parker and Dr Matthew Shirley

Vice-Chairs
Darren Pietersen
Helen Nash
Lisa Hywood
Paul Thomson
Thai Van Nguyen

Other
Programme Officer & IUCN Red List Authority Co-ordinator: Carly Waterman

Former Chairs
Dr Daniel W. S. Challender (Feb 2012 – Feb 2021)
Prof Jonathan Baillie (Feb 2012 – Oct 2016)

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Pangolin Specialist Group, please click here to find out more.

Supporters

We are extremely grateful to the following for their support:

Institutional supporters
Zoological Society of London – hosts the Pangolin Specialist Group

Financial supporters
Zoological Society of London – funds our part-time Programme Officer, Research Interns and designed and hosts the Pangolin Specialist Group website
Wildlife Reserves Singapore – hosted the first Pangolin Specialist Group Conservation Conference in June 2013
Fondation Segré – provided funding for Pangolin Specialist Group to support implementation of CITES, convene Red List workshops and support conservation planning for pangolins (2015-2019)

First Pangolin Specialist Group Conservation Conference, Singapore, 2013
Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund
Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong
Houston Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
TRAFFIC

First Pangolin Range States Meeting, Vietnam, 2015
United States Fish and Wildlife Service – supported the attendance of members of the Pangolin Specialist Group at the First Pangolin Range States Meeting

Individuals
We thank our former interns, Katie Wells, Lydia Katsis, Claire Buchan, Hannah Khwaja and Jasmin Willis, and all of our individual donors for their ongoing support.

Members

Click below to see a list of the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group members or visit the Member Projects page to find out more about their work protecting pangolins.