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This is Francois
Francois is a Conservation Ecologist fighting to save the world’s most trafficked mammal, the pangolin, from illegal wildlife trafficking.
With your help
Francois can buy more satellite tags, which helps him keep track of pangolins that’s been released back into the wild, making sure they are doing good.
Why care
Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked mammal. Because of a high demand from the Asian market, poachers capture them from the wild and kill them to sell their scales and meat. The pangolins that are rescued from illegal hunters often suffer from injuries and need rehabilitation before being released back into the wild.
Their work
Francois is a Conservation Ecologist working with the rehabilitation and reintroduction of rescued pangolins for the African Pangolin Working Group.
He works closely with the police to seize traded wild pangolins, assisting law enforcement with sting operations.
Gathers samples and evidence from the confiscated pangolins for court case hearings of the traffickers.
A severely injured pangolin goes through a hospitalization and rehabilitation process, where it is taken for walks, fed and continuously assessed to see if it is becoming stable enough to survive in the wild again.
After the pangolin is released, it’s tracked and monitored by Francois and his team.
Achievements
More than 30 pangolins were assessed, treated and rehabilitated in 2018.
The African Pangolin Working Group has been appointed by the South African government to oversee the rehabilitation of pangolins in the country.
The organization has testified in more than 15 cases over the past three years, giving evidence to support the sentencing of pangolin poachers.
The organization is world leaders in the scientific research of pangolin ecology, parasites, threats and use in traditional cultural belief systems.
The mission
Francois is on a mission to conserve Africa’s pangolins and their habitats.
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