Defenders of the Hidden
Documentary raises public awareness on Chinese pangolin conservation
In the recently released documentary Defenders of the Hidden, one young woman said that despite devoting several years to protecting Chinese pangolins in south China, she and her colleagues had never personally seen a pangolin in the wild, only occasionally coming across traces of them. “It’s very rare to see them in the wild. We’re working so hard to protect them,” she said.
Slow-moving, secretive and nocturnal, pangolins are covered in protective scales and curl up into a ball when threatened. They are rarely seen, even by those who’ve studied them for decades, but despite their lack of discernible presence, they are of great ecological importance, influencing the structure, function and health of forest ecosystems.
Pangolins are among the most common illegally traded wild mammals in the world. Before a new species, named Manis mysteria or the Asian mysterious pangolin, was discovered in China in 2023, there had been a total of eight known species, all of which are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, and three of which are classified as “critically endangered.”
In China, the Chinese pangolin was once widely found in the region south of the Yangtze River, the longest river in both China and Asia and the third longest in the world. Due to excessive hunting and habitat loss, wild stocks of pangolins have plummeted sharply. The Chinese pangolin was listed as a critically endangered species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2014.
Pangolin species around the world all face critical threats to their survival, especially habitat destruction, illegal wildlife trade and climate change, John Baker, President and Chief Program Officer of non-profit international organization WildAid said, adding that international cooperation is the only path to success for protecting pangolins.
Baker made the remarks in Beijing on July 25, while attending the premiere of the documentary, co-produced by WildAid, China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and Youku, a leading online long-form video platform in China.
“This film exhibits rare and very precious footage of pangolins in the wild. There’s not too much other footage and stories around the world, and because of that many people still don’t really have a good understanding of pangolin conservation,” Baker said.
Therefore, the film was produced to record the efforts made by the Chinese Government and the public in recent years to protect pangolins, he added.
The documentary, divided into two episodes, respectively titled The Pursuit of Hope and Lighting Up Hope, were launched on the Youku Documentary Channel on July 29 and August 5.
Recording the protection
The episodes follow the journey of actor and WildAid ambassador Wang Yibo, delving into the heartfelt stories of scientists, conservationists and local residents he has encountered and the trials and triumphs they have experienced in their efforts to save the pangolin. Wang is currently one of the mostpopular entertainers in China.
In the documentary, Wang visits a pangolin conservation research center affiliated with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) in Guangdong Province, as well as some wild pangolin habitats.
Wang said at the premiere in Beijing that he understands the hard work of those protecting pangolins and realizes that the protection also requires wider participation of people by refusing to consume pangolin products and reporting the illegal trade of the animals.
“Although pangolin scales appear very tough, when I touched them, I could feel the warmth beneath them. This made me realize that pangolins are actually very fragile and need more protection,” he said.
“This story not only shines light on the pangolin, but also the passionate and very dedicated pangolin conservationists who are working in China and illuminating hope
for the Chinese pangolin, helping to inspire and motivate people around the world to protect pangolins,” Baker said.
“Defenders of the Hidden is the first documentary in China to present precious, real footage of the rescue, conservation, rehabilitation, release and activities of wild Chinese pangolins in their natural habitat. We hope this film will foster emotional connections between the public and wildlife, promoting a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature,” Han Yun, Director of the Youku Documentary Channel, said.
Youku has always actively taken on social responsibility, persisted in exploring high-quality content and promoted documentaries more widely to the public, Han said, adding that the company is pleased to collaborate with WildAid to produce documentaries on wildlife conservation.
“WildAid is committed to promoting international cooperation and contributing to protecting and rescuing pangolins and restoring their habitats, as well as combating cross-border illegal wildlife trade,” Baker added.
Igniting hope
In recent years, efforts to recover the Chinese pangolin population have been spurred by top-down conservation actions. China has upgraded its protection of pangolins to the highest level and adopted legislative measures to protect the species.
China banned the hunting of pangolins in 2007. In August 2018, it completely halted the commercial import of pangolins and their products. The country also intensified efforts to combat crimes related to the exploitation of pangolins and other wildlife through special operations and other measures.
In June 2020, pangolins were reclassified from a Class II to a Class I nationally protected species in China, bringing increased attention and conservation efforts. That same year, the NFGA established the Pangolin Conservation Research Center in Guangdong, further strengthening research on pangolin rescue, breeding, and the preparation they need before being released into the wild.
Si Ping, Deputy Secretary General of the CWCA, said at the documentary’s premiere that many regions across China are now conducting surveys and monitoring wild pangolin populations and their habitats, and have strengthened field patrols, preventing poaching, and are working to improve the ecosystems in which pangolins live.
Chinese pangolins have seen a steady recovery of their wild populations in recent years, with a marked improvement in their natural habitats, according to an NFGA conference on pangolin protection in September 2023. The animals have been found in 10 provinces around the country so far, including Guangdong, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian and Hainan, said Hua Yan, an official with a pangolin protection research center under the NFGA. Multiple breeding populations of Chinese pangolins have been found in some of the aforementioned regions, according to the NFGA.
The documentary will narrate to the public the story of China’s concerted efforts across various sectors to protect pangolins. “We hope that more institutions, organizations and the public will participate in pangolin conservation efforts,” Si said. BR