The Giant Ground Pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) is one of the most fascinating and lesser-known mammals on the African continent. As the largest of all pangolin species, it can measure up to 1.8 meters in length and weigh between 25 and 40 kilograms. The Giant Ground Pangolin prefer dense forests and feed on ants and termites. This species is critically endangered, as noted by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
In Tanzania, the Giant Ground Pangolin is found in western regions i.e. Kagera and Kigoma regions in dense forests that found in these regions. All pangolin species including Giant ground pangolins are facing extinction threats to local consumption and illegal trafficking to black markets. Tanzania Research and Conservation Organization (TRCO) under financial support from the WWF Education for Nature and Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) investigates the human-pangolin interactions, the level of local consumption of pangolins, and the willingness of local communities to support pangolin conservation in western regions of Tanzania. This baseline information is important to develop long-term research and outreach programs to foster human-pangolin coexistence in Tanzania.
