The government has handed £7.2m in grants to conservation charities to help them tackle the illegal wildlife trade.

A total of 17 projects will receive funding under the latest round in funding from the government’s Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund.

This includes a grant to the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) to halt the poaching of pangolins. Sometimes known as scaly anteaters, these are the most trafficked mammal in the world.

Another is a grant to the National Trust for Nature Conservation to protect endangered tigers in Nepal, whose bones are made in traditional Chinese medicine.

“This year the government is committing more money than ever before under the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund to combat this terrible trade and these vital projects will help to ensure that these species are protected for generations to come,” said international environment minister Lord Goldsmith.

ZSL pangolin specialist Carly Waterman added: “Our project will develop a model for community-led pangolin conservation that can be replicated throughout the species’ range, creating incentives for protecting pangolins, strengthening disincentives for poaching, and empowering local communities to manage their natural resources.

“The support we receive from the Challenge Fund will really aid this work.”

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