Towards Effective Pangolin Conservation in Benin

The situation of pangolins in Benin, particularly the white-bellied pangolin, highlights the complex interplay of ecological, social, and economic factors that contribute to the decline of this critically important species. Dr. Stanislas Zanvo and the Laboratory of Applied Ecology are addressing these challenges through a multidisciplinary approach, which is crucial for effective conservation. 

Dr. Zanvo is a Deputy Coordinator of the IUFRO Working Party Wildlife Conservation and Management and received an Outstanding Doctoral Research Award at the IUFRO World Congress in June 2024.

His investigations into the white-bellied and giant pangolins in Benin have provided critical insights into the species' historical and current distributions, as well as the factors driving their decline. His work has also uncovered the complex dynamics of the regional pangolin trade, particularly the Asian diaspora is an important link, inciting local hunters and intermediaries to poach pangolins by offering purchase prices 3 to 8 times higher than those paid by local customers. 

Dr Zanvo and his team (MSc Maurice Foundie Agbimakou and committed local actors) are currently conducting a rescue, rehabilitation and post-release monitoring campaign using telemetry and camera trap surveys in the dense semi-deciduous Lama forest, southern Benin. They have already rescued eleven individuals in a 40-day period. 

Also, during the same period, the team identified a total of 41 specimens of white-bellied pangolins in traditional medicine markets in southern Benin. This shows that pangolins are valuable resources for traditional medicine. The extent to which pangolins are targeted for poaching also calls for behavioral change on the part of local actors, particularly hunters, who are already being addressed by means of behavior campaigns.