How Conservation Efforts Are Giving China's Most Trafficked Mammal a Fighting Chance

In the protected forests of the Wuqinzhang mountains in Huizhou, Chinese pangolins are experiencing a delicate resurgence. The population has grown from 62 individuals in 2020 to over 100 today. Despite this positive trend, the species faces significant biological hurdles.

The pangolin's reproductive cycle presents a major challenge. Female pangolins typically give birth to only one offspring per year after reaching sexual maturity at three years old. Furthermore, only about one-third of these offspring survive to adulthood, according to Li Cheng, a pangolin expert.

Li, a former tech engineer, now leads the Xizi River Conservation Center. He emphasizes the slow pace of population growth, stating that each new pangopup documented feels like a miracle. His team has implemented an intelligent monitoring system using over 100 AI-enhanced infrared cameras.

A remarkable aspect of the conservation effort is the involvement of former poachers, including Xu Zhuduo, who now serve as primary rangers. These individuals walk an average of 12 kilometers daily to collect data on pangolin burrows. In Zuokeng village, Huidong, the number of pangolin sightings has increased dramatically, from three in 2018 to 47 last year.

The village has also embraced eco-friendly practices. The use of chemicals on farmland has decreased by 78 percent, leading to the return of other species, such as snakes and owls. At Zuokeng Primary School, pangolin conservation is now a mandatory subject. A sixth-grader explained that pangolins are vital to the forest ecosystem, acting as "forest doctors" by controlling termite populations.

Li observes that each generation of pangolins takes years to replace itself. He notes that every new burrow discovered signifies progress in the effort to protect these creatures.