The Pangolin Project

The Pangolin Project (TPP) is Kenya’s only organisation dedicated to protecting the Giant Ground Pangolin- Earth’s most trafficked mammal. Only in the Nyekweri Forest on the edge of the Maasai Mara do fewer than 30 individuals remain. Their survival hangs by a thread, threatened by deforestation, electric fencing, and fragmented landscapes. We’re here to change that. Our mission is to protect pangolins and the ecosystems they depend on—through community-led conservation, nature-based financing, and science-driven monitoring. Our vision is a thriving future where pangolins, forests, and people flourish together. From the ground up, we’ve built a conservation model rooted in trust, local leadership, and long-term impact: over acres of forest now protected under conditional payment schemes with over 200 landowners. 72km of electric fencing de-electrified—reducing pangolin deaths from 12 in 2023 to just 2 in 2024. Over 70 camera traps capturing pangolin pups and over 55 other species- evidence of biodiversity rebounding. 21 community rangers on patrol- 13,486 km covered in 2024 to prevent poaching and support wildlife rescues. 🤝 Empowered women and youth now helping lead governance and conservation action for the first time. We're not just protecting a species- we're restoring an entire ecosystem and creating lasting incentives for conservation through land leases, and in the future carbon markets, and ecotourism opportunities. Together with the community, we are proving that conservation is not a trade-off- it’s a pathway to resilience, regeneration, and legacy. Follow us to hear stories from the field, track impact, and be part of the movement to save Kenya’s last Giant Ground Pangolins.