Our research is overseen by the founder and former Chairman of the APWG, Professor Ray Jansen. Ray is a full professor in the Department of Environmental, Water and Earth sciences and holds a PhD in zoology. 

We are world leaders in the scientific research of African pangolin ecology, parasites, threats and use in traditional cultural belief systems. We have co-authored 12 scientific journal articles investigating the ecology, genetics, threats and traditional uses of pangolins in southern and West Africa, have a number of postgraduate students in the field and collaborate with a wide range of other scientific institutions around the world.

We have co-authored the revision of the conservation status of the Temminck’s ground pangolin in South Africa (published in 2016) and are currently busy with the conservation status evaluation of the Temminck’s ground pangolin and white-bellied tree pangolin for the IUCN red list species evaluation to be published in 2019. 

Effective pangolin conservation is not only related to the species but also to the communities of people that share this illusive and understudied animal’s habitat. As such, it is critically important to investigate the cultural belief systems of these animals within the often very rural and impoverished African communities. Often pangolins are harvested for cultural or traditional beliefs, used as some form of remedy and simply as a source of protein in the bush meat trade.  

We pride ourselves in leading this form of research in Africa.