CARN/Bochco Pangolin Conservation Grant program.
The CARN/BOCHCO Pangolin grant program is now open through August 1, 2026! You can apply below
Why Pangolins?
Pangolins are extraordinary creatures — the only scaled mammals on Earth, with no teeth and an extraordinarily unique life history. They play unique and irreplaceable ecological roles, consuming tens of millions of insects annually and helping maintain the health of tropical forest ecosystems. Yet despite their ecological importance, pangolins are among the least studied mammals on the planet. Nocturnal, solitary, and exceptionally difficult to observe in the wild, remarkably little is known about their habitat requirements, breeding biology, and population dynamics.
These knowledge gaps are all the more urgent given the scale of the threats they face. The overexploitation and illegal trade of African pangolins are severely impacting natural populations, making them among the most illegally trafficked mammals on the planet. They are also heavily harvested for their meat — in Central Africa alone, it is estimated that as many as 2.7 million pangolins are hunted and consumed locally each year. Although pangolins are protected across many parts of their range, illegal harvest and trade persist. Compounding these pressures, habitat destruction and deforestation are implicated in population declines, and threats will only intensify with the construction of new roads, habitat loss and expanding urbanization.
To implement science-based conservation, we need a deeper understanding of pangolin life history, ecology, and genetics — as well as the impacts of hunting and trade.
Why a Grant Program?
The scientists best positioned to protect African pangolins, those living and working across Africa, have long been underserved by mainstream conservation funding. CARN established the Bochco Pangolin Conservation Grant in 2026 to help close that gap, supporting graduate students and early-career African scientists conducting innovative research on pangolin conservation. The program is designed to address the critical knowledge and funding deficits that stand between these remarkable animals and their survival.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be a resident of one of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
- Grants must focus on at least one of four threatened pangolin species: 1) White-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis), 2) Giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea), 3) Black-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla) and 4) Ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii).
- Applicants must be current graduate student or early career professionals that have received a degree in the past five years, such as a researcher working at a conservation organization or university.
- Projects emphasizing field-based conservation research will be prioritized.
- Grants up to $10,000 USD.
The CARN/BOCHCO Grant Program was initiated through a generous donation from Dayna Bochco.
To help applicants submit more competitive applications, CARN partnered with the Congo Basin Institute to develop this video series on how to write grants. We strongly encourage applicants to review the videos.
