World Pangolin Day2026 · Date · History · Messages
The IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group says World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of February and was founded in 2012 by Rhishja Cota.
About World Pangolin Day
World Pangolin Day is celebrated every year on the third Saturday of February to raise awareness of pangolins and the threats they face.
The IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group says the observance was founded in 2012 by Rhishja Cota.
Why World Pangolin Day matters
The day is a conservation-awareness occasion centered on the world’s eight pangolin species and the people working to study and protect them.
Responsible awareness should not provide instructions that could facilitate trafficking, capture, handling or trade in protected wildlife.
History of World Pangolin Day
The Pangolin Specialist Group says World Pangolin Day was founded in 2012 by Rhishja Cota.
The group describes it as an annual observance held on the third Saturday of February.
The Specialist Group continues to use the day to highlight pangolin species and conservation work by its members.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Rhishja Cota
The Pangolin Specialist Group says World Pangolin Day was founded in 2012 by Rhishja Cota.
First documented observance
The Specialist Group says the observance has been celebrated on the third Saturday of February since it was founded in 2012.
IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group
The Specialist Group maintains World Pangolin Day information and highlights conservation activities.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
6 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe World Pangolin Day
Learn about pangolin species from conservation authorities such as the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group.
Support lawful conservation organizations and habitat-protection work.
Share conservation information without publishing sensitive location details for vulnerable wildlife.
Do not buy, collect, transport or handle pangolins or pangolin products outside lawful, qualified conservation contexts.
World Pangolin Day Facts
World Pangolin Day is held on the third Saturday of February.
The Pangolin Specialist Group says Rhishja Cota founded it in 2012.
The observance focuses on pangolin conservation awareness.
There are eight living pangolin species.
Wildlife-protection information should not facilitate trafficking or unsafe handling.
World Pangolin Day Messages
Happy World Pangolin Day to everyone supporting responsible pangolin conservation.
May World Pangolin Day bring careful attention to the world’s pangolin species and the people protecting them.
Wishing conservation teams and local communities continued progress for pangolins.
May awareness translate into lawful, evidence-based support for wildlife protection.
Celebrating pangolins today with respect for wildlife, habitats and conservation science.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group
Pangolin Specialist Group — Get involved / World Pangolin Day
IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group — World Pangolin Day (opens in a new tab)
Iucn Specialist Group
IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group — World Pangolin Day history (opens in a new tab)
Iucn Specialist Group
Pangolin Specialist Group historical blog
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is World Pangolin Day?
Third Saturday of February The documented recurrence rule is: Third Saturday of February.
Does World Pangolin Day fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is World Pangolin Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: international pangolin conservation awareness observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes World Pangolin Day?
The documented basis is: The IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group says World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of February and was founded in 2012 by Rhishja Cota.. Supporting evidence includes IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group — World Pangolin Day. The site does not infer a separate creator or founder unless reviewed evidence establishes one.
Is World Pangolin Day international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: international pangolin conservation awareness observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-27.
When is World Pangolin Day?
It is observed on the third Saturday of February each year.
Who founded World Pangolin Day?
The IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group says it was founded in 2012 by Rhishja Cota.
Who currently highlights the day?
The IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group maintains World Pangolin Day information and highlights member conservation work.
What is a safe way to participate?
Use reputable conservation information, support lawful conservation work and avoid wildlife handling, trade or sensitive-location sharing.
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