Scaling up local ecological knowledge to inform conservation action: Determining Philippine pangolin distribution, status and threats

The Philippine pangolin is endemic to the island of Palawan in the Philippines and is arguably the least known of all Asian pangolin species, with limited population data available. Assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, population declines of >50% are predicted but we have little knowledge on the local or international threats placed upon this species, or where populations still persist.

This research project is using a range of methods from ecology and the social sciences to investigate population status, trends and drivers of decline. To date (February 2021), we have interviewed over 1000 households from across Palawan to learn more about the species from the people who live alongside it, and have collected data on the anthropogenic threats the pangolin faces to help inform conservation action.

This research is part of the Zoological Society of London's (ZSL) Safeguarding the Philippine pangolin project that is working to establish the first community-based conservation area for the species.