World Pangolin Awareness Day 2026

World Pangolin Day 2026

21st February 2026 is World Pangolin Day. The awareness day is held on the 3rd Saturday in February each year and hopes to raise awareness of this gentle creature that is endangered.

Map showing the distribution of different pangolin species around the world, including White-bellied, Giant, Black-bellied, Ground, Chinese, Philippine, Sunda, and Indian pangolins.

There are eight species of Pangolin in the World as detailed in the lovely image above from the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group
c/o Zoological Society of London (the link will take you to their excellent website with lots of info on Pangolins).

The species range from vulnerable, endangered to critically endangered for some of the Asian pangolin species. Sadly, these fascinating creatures are hunted for their meat which is seen as a delicacy in some parts of the world. Their scales are also used by some countries in medicinal preparations although the effectiveness has not been substantiated. You can find out more about the threats to these creatures here.

Books to Explore Pangolins

Three children's books about animals displayed on a wooden surface. The first book, 'CLIMB' by Hannah Peckham, features an illustration of an elephant and colourful foliage. The second book, '50 Reasons to Love Endangered Animals', is illustrated with various animals and vibrant patterns. The third book, 'An Anthology of Intriguing Animals' by Ben Hoare, has an ornate cover with gold accents and animal illustrations.

A children's book opened to two pages, featuring detailed illustrations and text about a pangolin on the left and an illustrated scene of animals playing by a river on the right.

Books are a great way for children to be introduced to animals they may not know about. As always I’d recommend a range of fiction and non-fiction reading around any topic.

A children's book titled 'CLIMB' by Hannah Peckham, featuring an illustrated elephant on the cover, surrounded by colourful foliage and playful decorations including a toy elephant and felt flowers.

Climb by Hannah Peckham and Emma Louise Clarke

Climb by Hannah Peckham and Emma Louise Clarke is a passionate book which can resonate on so many levels. You have the determination of Hetty as she discovers her own unique skills. There’s the supportive friendships of her pals Ngoy the Mongoose and Raj the Pangolin. Yet also the strong message of saving the rainforests and the devastation of fire and deforestation.

An illustrated children's book page depicting a scene in a clearing with an ancient tree and a fiery blaze heading through the woods. The background features soft colours and lush vegetation.

Having the character Raj the Pangolin would make this a lovely book to be able to enjoy on World Pangolin Day. It could also act as a great book to help you go off and discover more about Pangolins, their habitats and the threat to these precious creatures.

A close-up of a pangolin information card featuring an illustration of a pangolin named Raj, with text highlighting facts about pangolins, including their ability to roll into a ball and their endangered status.

We did enjoy Hannah’s little bio about Raj that she sent us along with the book. Head to my blog post for a full review of Climb and more inside images here.

A colourful illustration featuring a happy elephant splashing in water, accompanied by a playful otter and a smiling pangolin. The scene conveys a sense of joy and friendship among the animals.

Non-Fiction – Information Books

When it comes to choices of non-fiction text I find that having key spines at home that cover lots of different animals are very useful. As much as I would love to have books about each animal in my collection I just don’t have the space. The DK An Anthology of… books by Ben Hoare are beautifully illustrated and have a wide selection of, in the case of An Anthology of Intriguing Animals, animals!

A children's book titled 'CLIMB' by Hannah Peckham, featuring an illustration of a cute elephant amidst tropical leaves and flowers, beside another book titled 'An Anthology of Intriguing Animals' by Ben Hoare, both displayed on a wooden surface.

This type of book means that I can usually find a starting point for us that we can then go away and explore further. In the case of a Pangolin, if it’s something my daughter is interested in, I would head to the library with her to find or request books that might help us research a little further.

A book titled '50 Reasons to Love Endangered Animals' featuring a colourful cover with various animal illustrations and decorative patterns, placed on a leafy green background.

Key Books

Having other texts that are a little more specialised is a great way to expand your collection of text. Books such as 50 Reasons to Love Endangered Animals by Catherine Barr and Hanako Clulow would be a good choice. There is a little snippet of information about 50 endangered animals. I do love the invitation from Catherine throughout this book to go out and discover more information for yourself.

A collection of children's books displayed on a white shelf, featuring titles about animals, nature, and spring. The top shelf includes wooden toys and decorative items, while the lower shelves showcase various illustrated encyclopedias and storybooks.

The Natural History Book

I highly recommend as a must have spine for the natural world is The Natural History Book. It’s got real images and tells you a little bit about almost everything in the vast natural world. It’s a book that I explore with my daughter and read aloud the information with her.

A children's animal encyclopedia titled 'My First Encyclopedia of Animals' featuring various images of animals and categories like 'invertebrate', 'mammal', 'bird', and 'reptile'. The book is placed on a vibrant rainbow-coloured backdrop, accompanied by two decorative elephant figurines.

If you are looking for real images as opposed to illustrated then My First Encyclopedia of Animals is also brilliant and suitable for younger children. It’s well laid out with text clearly visible on each page.

Pangy the Pangolin

I did spot this lovely little book Pangy the Pangolin that you can find here. You can purchase a hardback or get a download for free. The aim of the book is to generate awareness of Pangolins and raise money for their cause.

Promotional graphic for the blog tour of 'You've Got This, Little Pangolin' by Tola Okogwu and Shirley Hottier, featuring the book cover with illustrations of a pangolin and fish, and a schedule of participating bloggers.

Spotted this gorgeous looking book – You’ve Got This, Little Pangolin – on the book tour from Simon & Schuster. Check out My Shelves Are Full. I always love reading Erin’s reviews.

Adopt a Pangolin

Born Free have an adopt a Pangolin option which you can find here. Animal adoption options are a lovely way to get children to appreciate and understand certain animals more. I know when I was a child I adopted a hedgehog and I still have a real passion for hedgehogs now. Animal adoptions make lovely gifts and you can easily pair them with a good text about that animal too.