Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world. Widely targeted for their use in traditional medicine, poaching has long been seen as the main threat to the Chinese pangolin. However, an increase of forest fires is now threatening their habitat in Nepal. To tackle this, Tulshi will implement the first ever initiative to assess the impact of forest fire on the species, while working with communities on fire mitigation, habitat restoration and alternative livelihoods.

MOUNTING THREATS

Nepal is home to two species of pangolin: the Chinese pangolin and the Indian pangolin. They have been found in 61 districts, mostly in the human-dominated landscapes of eastern and central Nepal. Both endangered globally, with the Chinese pangolin critically so, they are still highly threatened by illegal poaching and hunting for the trade of their scales and meat, despite being protected by national law. To make matters worse, forest fires are on the rise in Nepal, with an average of over 3,000 fire incidences annually. Mostly caused by human activity in the forest, including illegal poaching, hunting, and grazing, the fires are destroying pangolin habitat, with a general lack of conservation awareness exacerbating the issue.

PANGOLIN PROTECTOR

Dr. Tulshi Laxmi Suwal has been leading pangolin research and conservation efforts in Nepal for over 15 years, conducting the first ever PhD study on the species in the country. In 2016, Tulshi led the National Pangolin Survey, and worked with the Nepalese government to develop a pangolin monitoring protocol and national action plan for pangolin conservation. Using this as guidance, Tulshi and her team at the Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation will be the first to assess the impact of forest fires on pangolin populations, covering three districts in central Nepal.

COMMUNITY APPROACH

Integrating community needs with conservation priorities, Tulshi and her team will train local conservation groups on fire protection and habitat monitoring, and will restore fire-impacted forest by planting 20,000 saplings. They will raise conservation awareness across the region and support local incomes by offering micro-financing opportunities to develop and diversify livelihoods, reducing pressures on the forest. Results from this project will help to shape future fire mitigation measures, safeguarding the future of this charismatic but threatened species.

With her Whitley award, tulshi and her team will:

• Estimate pangolin abundance and population density and the impact of forest fires on the species across 4,000 ha
• Train 10 ‘Community Pangolin Conservation Groups’ to monitor pangolins and their habitat, and prevent forest fires
• Restore pangolin habitat by planting and monitoring 20,000 mixed tree saplings
• Raise conservation awareness, reaching thousands of households and over 500 schools in the region
• Provide microfinancing opportunities for 100 households to develop forest-friendly alternative livelihoods

Top Facts:

• The Chinese pangolin has a large portion of unique evolutionary history and is #7 on the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species list.
• Pangolins are “good friends of farmers”, as they biologically control the ant and termite populations which harm crops.
• Pangolins are the only scaly mammals in the world.

2025 CONTINUATION FUNDING

Strengthening Community Protection for Pangolins and Their Habitat in Nepal 

Tulshi is known in Nepal as “the pangolin woman” for her work to protect the most trafficked mammal on the planet and its forest habitat. At Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation, Tulshi conducted the first impact assessment of fires on the habitat of the Critically Endangered Chinese pangolin in Nepal, one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change where forest fires are intensifying.

Tulshi’s 2023 Whitley Award created sustainable Community Pangolin Conservation Groups to monitor pangolin populations and their habitats and equipped them to manage fires and plant trees. More than 12,000 native broadleaf trees were planted to restore pangolin habitat impacted by fires with a 75 percent survival rate. This also resulted in a reduction in forest fires and a noticeable increase in pangolin distribution across the restored 1500 ha area.

Thanks largely to community-based forest management, Nepal increased its forest cover from 29 percent in 1994 to more than 46 percent in 2022, according to The World Bank. With Continuation Funding, Tulshi will lead on the creation of two community-managed nurseries that can produce 4,000 native broad-leaved tree saplings to address a lack of supply. Community groups will plant and monitor the saplings in a 1,000 hectare area in Banke National Park which connects to Suhelwa Wildlife Sanctuary in India, home to tigers, striped hyenas, giant hornbills in addition to both Chinese and Indian pangolins. To strengthen stewardship, Tulshi will renew training for forest users and university students as well as support green enterprises led by women and Indigenous communities.