Pangolin Aware

12/08/2026

Field Update

​We hiked up steep hills for hours to set up camera traps and do night surveys. Our legs are so sore!
​It was sad to see a bullet casing, an old logging site, and illegal harvesting in this forest. These threats put animals like the pangolin in great danger.
​Then, we checked our camera footage and there it was: a pangolin!
​Seeing this elusive, critically endangered animal in this forest made all the hard work worth it. But one photo is not enough. We will keep monitoring and guarding this forest to protect the pangolin.

10/08/2026

As part of Dr Hisashi's educational trip for his students from Tokyo University of Agriculture, Japan, our Director and Dr Lawrence Alan delivered inspiring presentations on Sunda pangolins, bats and flying foxes conservation in Sabah.
Later in the evening, the students enjoyed a wonderful dinner and joined in cultural activities, including Kadazandusun and Bajau dances!

10/08/2026

Big congratulations to our staff members, Sonitah Jastin and Nur Asha Irdina, on completing WWF-Malaysia's Cyber Spotter Programme!
We are proud to partner in the fight against digital wildlife crime and protect our precious wildlife from illegal trade online! If you are interested to join the programme, contact WWF-Malaysia.

05/08/2026

Kami telah mengadakan pertemuan dengan Pengarah Sinurambi Cottage Rental, bagi membincangkan potensi kerjasama dalam pemuliharaan tenggiling Sunda. Sebagai sebahagian daripada kerja komuniti kami di kawasan Taman Banjaran Crocker, khususnya bersama komuniti Penampang, pertemuan ini merupakan peluang terbaik untuk meneroka bagaimana sektor pelancongan tempatan dan perlindungan hidupan liar boleh bekerjasama.

​Perbincangan tersebut amat membuahkan hasil dan kami berharap dapat bekerjasama pada masa hadapan demi melindungi hidupan liar tempatan kita.

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​We recently met with Proprietor of Sinurambi Rental Cottage, to discuss potential collaboration in Sunda pangolin conservation. As part of our community work in the Crocker Range Park area, especially within the Penampang community, this meeting was a great opportunity to explore how local tourism and wildlife protection can work together.

​It was a very fruitful discussion and we look forward to working together in the future to protect our local wildlife.

Sinurambi Cottage Rental

03/08/2026

While we have been hard at work protecting pangolins, today makes it official: We have signed an MoU with the Sabah Wildlife Department!
​This formal partnership amplifies our ongoing research, education and field action, giving us even greater backing to save pangolins in Sabah.
​Thank you for backing our mission every step of the way, let's keep the momentum going!

17/07/2026

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026/07/17/pangolin-scale-smuggling-bid-foiled

​Syabas dan terima kasih kepada Jabatan Kastam Diraja Malaysia kerana berjaya menggagalkan penyeludupan 100kg sisik tenggiling bernilai RM1.3 juta di Sandakan!
​Sangat sedih memikirkan begitu banyak tenggiling yang telah menjadi mangsa kejam pasaran gelap ini. Namun, kejayaan rampasan ini memberi kita harapan baharu untuk terus melindungi mereka. ​Kami berharap siasatan lanjut oleh pihak Kastam dan Jabatan Hidupan Liar Sabah berjalan lancar dan pesalah dibawa ke muka pengadilan.

Congratulations to the Royal Malaysian Customs Department for stopping the smuggling of 100kg of pangolin scales valued at RM1.3 million in Sandakan! ​It breaks our hearts to think of how many pangolins were killed for this. Yet, this major bust gives us hope that we can turn the tide against wildlife crime. ​We wish the Customs and Sabah Wildlife Department a smooth investigation ahead. Let's bring those responsible to justice.

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SANDAKAN: The Customs Department has foiled an attempt to smuggle 100kg of pangolin scales worth RM1.3mil after intercepting the shipment at Sandakan Airport's air cargo terminal, with investigators suspecting it was to be routed through Peninsular Malaysia before going overseas.

08/07/2026

Our director, Dr Elisa Panjang, recently represented Pangolin Aware at the Wildlife Crime Convergence awareness programme organised by Justice for Wildlife Malaysia at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park!
​Dr Elisa shared critical insights on the ecological status and escalating threats facing the Sunda pangolin. The event brought together conservationists, wildlife authorities and enforcement agencies to discuss the realities of wildlife crime and the urgent need for cross-sector collaboration to protect Sabah's most threatened species.

​Thank you, Justice for Wildlife Malaysia, for putting together this important initiative.
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08/07/2026

Reflecting on : From Inspiration to Action!

​Our Pangolin Aware team members (Nur Asha & Sonitah Jastin recently returned from an incredible three days at the Rainforest Youth Summit 2026 in Kuching! Surrounded by passionate youth from across ASEAN and beyond, we tackled global environmental issues at a table where everyone had a voice.​ We listened, we shared and we learned. Leaving RAYS 2026, we are reminded that youth aren't just the future- we are the present. The small steps we take today are what build a sustainable tomorrow.

​A huge thank you to the organisers for such an inspiring event. We're ready to bring this momentum home, channel it into pangolin conservation and make a real difference in our communities!

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02/07/2026

Day 2 of the Kinabalu International School (KIS) Impact Week is in full swing, and it has been an absolute whirlwind of learning, wildlife encounters, and inspiring stories! 🐾✨

Today, the students headed out to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park for an up-close look at some of Sabah’s most iconic species. But the learning didn't stop at the exhibits—we brought in an incredible lineup of local conservation heroes and experts to share their firsthand experiences in protecting Borneo's precious wildlife.

The students had the privilege of hearing from:

➡ Dr Wong Siew Te (Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre - BSBCC), who gave a 5-minute briefing on the conservation struggles of the Bornean Sun Bear.

➡ Dr Elisa Panjang (Pangolin Aware), who gave a 5-minute briefing on the elusive, heavily trafficked, and deeply fascinating Sunda Pangolin.

➡ Dr Rosa, who walked the students through the complex, vital challenges of animal welfare and husbandry management.

➡ Dr Noorsyarinah from the Department of Fisheries Sabah (DOF), sharing insights into marine and aquatic conservation.

➡ Judge Elsie Primus, Chairperson of the Kota Kinabalu Court Working Group on Environment, who inspired everyone with her Q&A session on environmental law and enforcement.

To make the most of the day, the KIS students were split into three groups to tackle different interactive activities, diving deeper into what it really takes to be a voice for wildlife.

Seeing the next generation so engaged, asking sharp questions, and showing real empathy for our ecosystem is exactly what Impact Week is all about.

Huge thanks to all our guest speakers for volunteering their time and wisdom today! Let’s keep this momentum going into Day 3! 🌳🐒

📸 By Reyneilda G. Hilarion