During this episode of the Conservation Cast, Maya spoke with Kelsey about her studies into the ecology of ground pangolins and how she fell in love with them. Kelsey highlighted the value of pangolins and the important role they play within their ecosystem as pest control as a result of their ant and termite diet. The two discussed the threats that pangolin face, including droughts, poaching, and trafficking for their scales for use in traditional Chinese medicine. Kelsey shared stories from her experiences with CRASH and pangolins in Namibia and answered a range of viewer-sent questions, regarding their diet, defensive mechanisms, lifespan, and gestation period. Another point of emphasis made by Kelsey was the importance of spreading awareness of not only how incredible these mammals are, but of the threats they face and what they can do to support the conservation of pangolins.

Maya’s community raised $1002.14 for CRASH Wildlife, a non-profit organization that aims to address the issue of a lack of transparency in the way in which donations are used within wildlife organizations. Through partnering with other organizations, they may accurately track the use of incoming funds and ensure that each donation helps as many animals as possible with the minimum amount of overhead expense, waste, or abuse.