They
are considered the only truly scaly mammal, but if you are not already familiar
with the pangolin, you may not have much time to get to know them. Currently,
they are considered the most endangered and most illegally trafficked animals
on the globe. However, pangolins have a few friends out there, including
dedicated preservationist Maria Diekmann and possibly the most famous woman in
the world, Angelababy (trust me, nobody in Hollywood can touch her social media
numbers). From Namibia and Vietnam to Hong Kong, activist race to save the
pangolin in Victoria Bromley’s The World’s
Most Wanted Animal (promo
here),
which airs this Wednesday on PBS as part of the current season of Nature.
Diekmann
is pretty the boots on the ground when it comes to saving the African pangolin
in Namibia. She gets the call when authorities recover live pangolins. Even
with their scales, they are a surprisingly cute little creature, sort of like
armadillos that walk upright on their hindlegs, but with more personality. Tragically,
pangolin scales have been a staple of traditional Chinese medicine and there is
also demand in Chinese restaurants for their meat. As a result, the Chinese
market has largely decimated the Asian species of pangolins, despite the best
efforts of Thai Van Nguyen and his pangolin rescue colleagues at the nonprofit
Save Vietnam’s Wildlife—and they are fast depleting the African population, as
well.
Essentially,
Most Wanted is divided into two
parts. The first focuses on Diekmann’s work in Namibia, giving special
attention to Honey Bun, a pangolin she saved as a baby. The second chronicles Diekmann’s
travels in Asia, learning from her Vietnamese colleagues’ experiences and
strategizing PR outreach with Angelababy. Clearly, the only way to save the pangolins
for the long term is to make the consumption of their products socially
unacceptable in the Chinese market. One of the results of their meeting was
this stark PSA, posted on her social networks. (For the record, Maggie Q is
also a pangolin ambassador, so pay attention.)
Throughout
Most Wanted, Bromley and Diekmann
definitely drive home the urgency of the situation (which is indeed dire), but
the pangolins are still quite entertaining to watch, especially Honey Bun. They
are their own best advocates, but it does not hurt to have Angelababy cranking
up her star-power. Cinematographers Sue Gibson and Graham MacFarlane also
capture some stunning shots of the natural landscapes of Africa and Vietnam.
There is actually quite a bit in this film to see—and protect. Highly recommended
for the message and the visuals, The
World’s Most Wanted Animal premieres this Wednesday (5/23), on PBS’s Nature.
