IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group

More about the Specialist Group

The Pangolin Specialist Group (PSG) is a voluntary network of experts from around the world including field biologists, educators, social scientists, zoologists, veterinarians, ecologists, geneticists, lawyers, communications experts and criminal investigators, all of whom are actively involved in pangolin conservation. The PSG was re-established in February 2012 in recognition of the widespread threats to pangolins globally and to address the lack of understanding of the eight species and their conservation needs. 

Our Vision

Pangolins are globally celebrated and thriving in viable populations. Conservation action for pangolins from local to international scales is informed by abundant research data and guided by a cohesive pangolin conservation community.

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;
• Developing information and providing advice to support  IUCN and other conservation stakeholders on critical pangolin conservation interventions;
• 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);
• Building a Membership that is representative of the 54 countries where pangolins occur and the cutting edge expertise necessary to conserve them;
• Developing global conservation strategies and supporting the development of species-specific, national and regional conservation strategies for all 8 pangolin species;
• Providing technical support to pangolin research and conservation projects.