The pangolin is a unique creature -- the nocturnal mammal is known for being secretive and mysterious. The scaly animal can roll up into a ball to protect itself, and lash its sharp tail out at predators. Sadly, pangolins are the most trafficked wild mammals in the world, hunted for their meat, scales, and leather. Their habitats are dwindling, and conservationists say that one of the largest obstacles for saving pangolins is that most people don't even know they exist. We can change that by bringing awareness to these interesting creatures!
Sign the petition to make a pangolin emoji for World Emoji Day!
In just ten years, more than 1 million pangolins have been illegally traded. All eight species of pangolins are threatened with extinction -- the four Asian species are classified as Critically Endangered or Endangered, and the four African species are classified as Vulnerable.
If more people understand the threat to pangolins, we can create awareness to fund conservation efforts and dissuade people from purchasing pangolin products. While there are many ways to build awareness, creating an emoji is a simple, fun way to reach millions of people.
The group responsible for selecting emojis is called the Unicode Consortium, a nonprofit group of hardware and software companies with the goal of making text and emojis accessible to everyone. World Emoji Day is Sunday, July 17 -- there is no time to lose to get this vital effort to save the pangolin underway! Sign the petition to tell the Unicode Consortium to make a pangolin emoji for World Emoji Day!
