Pangolins are of the oldest creatures on Earth, yet they are possible the least understood animals because of their loner status. Here in Namibia we are leading the globe on Pangolin research just as the Pangolin have been declared internationally, the most trafficked animal on earth and are rapidly facing extinction in our time.
The Rare and Endangered Species Trust (REST) here in Namibia have a list of firsts when it comes to Pangolin research and have received international acclaim for the work they do to protect Pangolins and the valuable research they have generated, that is helping the global community understand Pangolins better.
99FM’s MYD Earth sat down with the founder and director of the Rare and Endangered Species Trust, Maria Diekmann, to talk about their research and why the Pangolin is worth protecting.
The Rare and Endangered Species Trust is a non- profit organization that was founded in 2000. The objective of REST is to research and provide logistic support for Namibia’s endangered species and as such they have become a safe haven for the lesser known species such as the Pangolin, the Damara Dik Dik, the Dwarf Python and more.
In 99FM’s MYD Earth show, we spoke to Maria Diekmann, the founder and director of the Rare and Endangered Species Trust.
Here are some of the areas covered in this episode of MYD Earth :
- Fascinating facts about the origin and behaviour of the Pangolin
- How Namibia, through REST, has been placed on the global conservation map for Pangolin research
- Why these animals are the most trafficked animal on earth
- What can be done to protect the Pangolin
Take a listen to the MYD Earth show with Maria Diekmann of REST, here :
https://soundcloud.com/99fm/myd-earth-pangolins
Take a look at MYD Earth’s article on Pangolins in Namibia by clicking here : Fighting to Protect a Population in Crisis