…to hold an event to mark the 2025 World Pangolin Day
The Pangolin Conservation Guild Nigeria (PCGN) is set to increase awareness of pangolin conservation among youths and students across the country.
The awareness drive is part of activities to mark the 2025 World Pangolin Day schedule to take place on February 15, 2025, at the Ultra-Modern Multipurpose Hall, International School, University of Ibadan.
The celebration theme is ‘Youth Legacy for Pangolin Conservation’.
The event will bring together wildlife conservation professionals, researchers, scientists, government officials, law enforcement agents, community stakeholders, students, and members of the international community.
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Professor Olajumoke Morenikeji, chair of PCGN, emphasised the significance of youth involvement in conservation efforts.
“Engaging young people can create a lasting legacy of awareness, advocacy, and action to protect pangolins from extinction,” she stated.
PCGN has commemorated World Pangolin Day annually since 2016, with a focus on educating the public about pangolin conservation.
Morenikeji stressed that raising awareness among young people about illegal wildlife trade is crucial to fostering a generation that values biodiversity and conservation.
To enhance student involvement in pangolin conservation, she advocated for incorporating wildlife conservation and illegal wildlife trade awareness into school curricula.
She also suggested interactive sessions in schools and universities, led by conservation experts and activists.
She noted that social media and digital platforms can serve as effective tools for raising awareness through informative posts, videos, infographics, and storytelling.
Other recommended youth-focused initiatives include campaigns featuring challenges, influencer partnerships, documentaries highlighting the impact of illegal wildlife trade, school-based conservation clubs, competitions, including photography and storytelling contests centred on conservation themes.
Morenikeji highlighted the rising threat of pangolin poaching and the need for stronger conservation efforts, law enforcement, and public awareness campaigns.
She called for stricter penalties for poaching, trafficking, and possession of pangolins or their products, as well as the deployment of well-trained rangers to monitor pangolin habitats.
She further urged collaboration between the government and international agencies to dismantle trafficking networks and counter cultural myths that promote the use of pangolins in traditional medicine.
“Targeted media campaigns emphasisng the ecological importance of pangolins and the legal consequences of poaching are essential,” she said.
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The 2025 World Pangolin Day celebrations will feature debate and essay competitions among students from 22 secondary schools where PCGN has established wildlife conservation clubs. Additionally, a Young Conservationist Summit 1.0 will engage university students from across Nigeria.
Seasoned wildlife conservation experts will speak at the event, providing young conservationists with the knowledge and tools needed to combat pangolin poaching and illegal trade.
“We aim to make World Pangolin Day 2025 not just a day of awareness but a stepping stone towards a stronger commitment to pangolin conservation,” Morenikeji concluded.
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