** 2024 Wildlife Artist of the Year’s Best Newcomer Award, Fine Art Gallery Nambia **

In 2023, I sculpted a limited edition bronze pangolin to raise funds for Back to Africa’s pangolin research initiative. Back to Africa is a non-profit organisation ‘dedicated to giving back to African wildlife what it has lost’ through supporting and facilitating innovative wildlife conservation and research projects. I have admired Back to Africa and its founder, Dr Hamish Currie, for years, and was eager to get involved in this exciting initiative that concerns a species close to my heart.

Back to Africa is conducting pioneering research into blood parasites that are relevant to the survival of stressed pangolins that have been confiscated from poachers. While healthy pangolins can be carriers of these parasites, when stressed, the parasites cause the destruction of red blood cells, leading to life-threatening anaemia. There is little knowledge about these agents and most importantly, the drugs needed to control them.

Back to Africa will receive 100% of the sale profit from my 3/4 size bronze pangolins. A percentage of this will go to Back to Africa’s education fund towards the Southern African Wildlife College in Hoedspruit.