Return of the giant pangolin

In March 2023, the temperature in eastern Senegal has already reached 40 degrees Celsius. The cool rains will not arrive for another hundred days. No problem! For the mixed field team Black Panther – Working to protect cats around the world – and Senegal National Parks Directorate (DPN)The work is underway, led by Mouhamadou Ndiaye. Niokolo-Koba National Parkwhose mission is to identify populations of large carnivores and large herbivores.

In December 2023, unexpectedly, There is a discovery In the center of the park. Giant pangolin (Giant flower snail), a species thought to be completely extinct was photographed for the first time since 1967, sparking great joy and rekindling hope for its conservation.

because researcherI offer this opportunity to highlight the efforts of my colleagues to protect this precious species.

Niokolo-Koba National Park is one of the largest terrestrial parks in West Africa. It is located in eastern Senegal, on the road between Tambacounda and Kédougou, and covers more than 9,130 ​​square kilometers of diverse ecosystems. From wooded savannah to Guinean forest, all of these environments are suitable habitats for the last remaining leopards, lions and wild dogs in the region. DPN is responsible for management and is supported by the NGO Panthera, especially for the monitoring of these key species.

The task is daunting, and to accomplish it successfully, Mouhamadou Ndiaye and his team deployed more than 200 cameras. These devices function like field biologists, but can work 24/7 in the heat or rain to detect wildlife around them. Every time an animal passes in front of the box, click! The camera is triggered and the image is automatically saved. When the cameras are collected, researchers are usually very excited, eager to discover the incredible species and behaviors captured. The real treasures are sometimes hidden in the heart of these parks.

Pangolins in general, and the giant pangolin is no exception, are becoming increasingly rare, and they are under threat in both Africa and Asia. Illegal hunting Their meat or scales are used in traditional medicine, especially in Asia. Their population is plummeting. Despite having a wide distribution, stretching from Senegal to western Kenya, the giant pangolin is still considered “endangered” in Africa. Red List The number of species and their populations listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is declining rapidly.

It is difficult to understand the historical reasons for the decline of the Senegalese giant pangolin population. No research has been done on the subject at the time, but poaching, habitat loss and fragmentation have undoubtedly played a significant role.

On December 28, 2023, to be precise, when Mouhamadou Ndiaye inserted the SD card of one of the cameras into his computer, hoping to obtain an image of a warthog, or perhaps a leopard or a lion, a large animal he saw, but without spots or fur: it had scales, a long and thick tail, and a thin and long muzzle. “It’s a giant pangolin!” wrote the young Senegalese, who since 2022 has collaborated with DPN, hiring them to monitor wildlife in the park.

Giant pangolin (Giant flower snail) is the largest pangolin species in the world and the only pangolin species in Senegal. It weighs 30 kg and is 1.40 to 1.80 m long, resembling a prehistoric animal covered in scales. KeratinDespite its size, the Giant Pangolin is an insectivore that feeds exclusively on termites and ants, thanks to its long, sticky tongue. Nocturnal and shy, we rarely see him.

The species has not been recorded in Senegal since 1999, and no photographic evidence has been obtained since 1967! Researchers believe the species is locally extinct, as five other large-scale surveys conducted in the park between 2019 and 2022 failed to detect the species.

Human population growth has led to an increasing demand for wildlife products, but pangolin populations are struggling to sustain themselves due to overfishing and habitat loss. Despite their exploitation, giant pangolins are protected in Senegal, and hunting and use are strictly prohibited.

Therefore, the rediscovery of the species in Senegal is very good news and a source of pride for the Senegalese, who still harbour the species in their largest land national park. Scientific publications By Mouhamadou Ndiaye in the African Journal of Ecology.

The implications of this discovery are multiple, as it could have profound and positive impacts on species conservation, science, economics, society and conservation policy.

“This rediscovery enriches our understanding of the park’s biodiversity from both a scientific and ecological perspective. It opens up new opportunities for scientific research, including studies of the ecology, behavior and genetics of the species, but it also helps inspire conservation efforts.”

From an economic perspective, more grants and funds could be allocated to parks to protect the species. Legislatively, the impact could be significant, as such rediscovery could lead to the enactment of laws or regulations designed to protect the rediscovered species and its habitat.

Finally, from a social and cultural perspective, rediscovery can strengthen local communities’ pride and interest in protecting the natural environment.

In addition to the giant pangolin, 44 other wildlife species were detected through camera monitoring, including the rare and endangered West African lion, in Panthera and DPN. These results once again demonstrate the fundamental importance of large protected areas in West Africa. Niokolo-Koba National Park preserves the largest area of ​​habitat favorable to the giant pangolin at the northwestern boundary of its range.

It is also one of the last or few refuges for many iconic species in West Africa, such as wild dogs, chimpanzees and derby oryx. Without systematic wildlife inventories like the one the Panthera and DPN teams are conducting in the park in 2023, the giant pangolin may go unnoticed. Now we can implement specific protection and monitoring for this rare and iconic species.

To ensure the continued protection of pangolins, the measures planned are the same as for other wildlife in the park, namely strengthening protection through more, more frequent and better-equipped anti-poaching patrols.

Poaching was a problem in the park, and because of this, many species declined dramatically until the 2010s, when DPN and Panthera began working together. Financial and human resources to protect the park, while recently increased, remain inadequate.

Niokolo-Koba National Park is also included in List of World Heritage in Danger Since 2007.