Using a mixed methods approach to determine status and threats to the Critically Endangered Philippine pangolin and inform conservation action in Palawan, Philippines.

Pan-disciplinary

IOZ

RHUL

ZSL Philippines

Carly Waterman

My research focusses on assessing the ability of different monitoring methods to gather conservation-relevant data for the endangered and elusive Philippine pangolin. The Philippine pangolin is arguably the least known of all Asian pangolin species; population declines of >50% are predicted but we have little knowledge on the local or international threats placed upon this species, or even of the effectiveness of different research methods to gather baseline data to inform its conservation. This project will use a series of different, complementary methods to gather conservation-relevant data for the Philippine pangolin. It will inform conservation by building an evidence-base from which to provide the first range-wide assessment of the Philippine pangolin’s conservation status, but with wider application through the development of an integrated methodological toolkit suitable for investigating the status of other poorly-known threatened species. It will also provide conservation planners with new data on the anthropogenic threats this species faces from the illegal wildlife trade to help prioritise conservation action.

This PhD project is in collaboration with ZSL Philippine’s Safeguarding the Philippine pangolin project. This project seeks to reduce pangolin poaching and trafficking through identifying and protecting key pangolin conservation areas, engaging local communities to co-develop conservation solutions, and strengthening law enforcement along key trafficking routes.

• Travers, H., Archer, L.J., Mwedde, G., Roe, D., Baker, J., Plumptre, A., Rwetsiba, A. and Milner‐Gulland, E.J. (2019) Understanding complex drivers of wildlife crime to design effective conservation interventions. Conservation Biology DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13330
• Lucy J. Archer, Sarah K. Papworth, Charity M. Apale, Darlyn B. Corona, Josefa T. Gacilosc, Ronald L. Amada, Carly Waterman, Samuel T.Turvey (2020) Scaling up local ecological knowledge to prioritise areas for protection: Determining Philippine pangolin distribution, status and threats Global Ecology and Conservation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01395

Scaling up! 25-Year Conservation Plan Announced for the Philippine Pangolin, ZSL News
Pangolins in peril get a hand from human neighbours, Nature
It’s not too late – yet – to save the Philippine pangolin, study finds, Mongabay