World’s first pangolin rehabilitation hub opens

April 15, 2025

Lepogo Lodges and the African Pangolin Working Group have opened the world's first purpose-built facility for the rehabilitation of trafficked pangolins, called the Pangolarium. It is located within the pristine Lapalala Wilderness Reserve in South Africa and represents a significant advancement in global pangolin conservation efforts.

  • Pangolins are among the most trafficked mammals worldwide, driven by demand for their scales and meat. The Pangolarium will serve as a veterinary treatment and rehabilitation facility for pangolins confiscated at borders and other points of illegal trade.

  • Wildlife rehabilitation enhances animal welfare and species conservation, offering insights into the threats facing wildlife, despite ongoing debates about its effectiveness and broader ecological impacts.

  • Our take: The Pangolarium’s confidential location is a clever move that should inspire future conservation projects. Protecting endangered species begins with safeguarding the spaces that protect the…Read more (2 min)

Our quarterly analysis of new projects in African conservation highlights two significant cross-border initiatives. The first project, funded by the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), is the $96 million Kenya and Zambezi Basin initiative, which spans six countries and connects ecosystems through sustainable forestry and carbon markets.

  • A second project, in the Kafue Zambezi Community Forest, aims to conserve 1.9 million hectares of woodland shared between Zambia and Angola with 280,000 individuals involved.

  • Beyond transboundary initiative, our project overview also logs local initiatives in Kenya and Tanzania that advance nature-based solutions to protect biodiversity and strengthen community livelihoods.

  • Our take: Research released in September 2023 mapped Africa’s Transboundary conservation areas, identifying 27 existing areas and 8,481 potential sites, covering nearly 2,000,000 km²…Read more (2 min)

Africa's rich biodiversity is rapidly declining with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) warning that 6,400 animals and 3,100 plants on the continent are at risk of extinction. Home to roughly a quarter of the world's mammal and bird species, Africa's biodiversity is a significant economic driver.

  • Kaddu Sebunya, the Chief Executive Officer of African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) explains the link between biodiversity and African economies and what can be done to prevent biodiversity loss.

  • “We are not where we would like to be but we are making progress in the right direction.” Mr Sebunya says. “Governments need to be more deliberate in their national budgeting processes for instance.” 

  • Find the full conversation here…Read more (2 min)

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According to UNDP, Gabon is leading the way in conservation by maintaining its status of High Forest Cover Low Deforestation (HFLD) countries with its forest management approach that is science-based and evidentiary robust.

Events

🗓️ Register for the Regional Roundtable Africa & Middle East in Morocco (May 6)

🗓️ Attend the International Congress for Conservation Biology in Australia (June 15)

Jobs

👷 Become a Biodiversity Finance Analyst at UNDP (Angola)

👷 Be a Conservation Coordinator at Mikoko Development Foundation (Tanzania)

👷 Become Africa Director for Conservation Impact at WWF International (Kenya)

👷 Apply to be the Country Director at The Nature Conservancy (Gabon)

Seen on LinkedIn 

Wadzanai Mafunga-Yobe, Environmental Economist at Conservation Strategy Fund, says, “Involving the community in conservation ensures that decisions are not only more informed and practical but also more sustainable, inclusive, and accepted by those directly impacted.”

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