Experiencing Interruptions?

The End Game: Pangolin

Pangolins are highly endangered and so rare to be seen today. Even conservationists who have been working on protecting pangolins might not see one live pangolin throughout their careers.

However, today, rampant killing and trafficking of pangolins is still ongoing. In one single black market in Laos, tens of pangolins are sold and killed every day.

In one single restaurant in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, you would find dozens of dead pangolin babies in a jar of wine, indicating how many parents have lost their lives here.

It is so terrible and upsetting. No one wants to see this. But the world has to see this, in order for serious actions to be taken.

In 2024, a team of volunteer Chinese investigators took the risks, pretended to be buyers, and dived into the trafficking network, captured such crimes on camera.

This documentary might have been the most in-depth investigative film about pangolin trafficking so far and has captured footage that has not been shown to the world before, which reveals the brutality of the pangolin trade.

  • Hongxiang Huang
    Director
  • Hongxiang Huang
    Writer
  • Hongxiang Huang
    Producer
  • Jie Cheng
    Producer
  • Yimei Huang
    Producer
  • Hongxiang Huang
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Wildlife
  • Runtime:
    20 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    August 26, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    China
  • Country of Filming:
    Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Hongxiang Huang

Hongxiang Huang is a Chinese wildlife conservation activist, investigator, social entrepreneur, and writer. He holds a BA in Journalism from Fudan University and an MA in International Development from Columbia University, where he also serves as a Global Ambassador for Development Practice.

Recognized as a Conservation Ambassador for Shanghai Pudong, Hongxiang has conducted research for international organizations such as IIED and WWF. His impactful work earned him a spot on Forbes China's "30 Under 30" list in the social enterprise category.

Hongxiang gained international acclaim as a wildlife conservation activist featured in the Oscar-shortlisted Netflix documentary "The Ivory Game," where he was lauded by UN Messenger of Peace, Dr. Jane Goodall, as "My Hero."

He is the founder of China House, a social enterprise that bridges China with global sustainable development efforts. China House collaborates with organizations like TRAFFIC, WJC, IFAW, HSI, and IUCN to combat illegal wildlife trade and engage Chinese communities in Africa and Latin America.

His latest documentary, "The End Game: Pangolin," marks his debut as both director and cast member. The film meticulously chronicles his and his trained investigator team's efforts to tackle the illegal pangolin trade by Chinese in Laos.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

It was traumatizing for myself and my colleagues to film such horrible killing of pangolins.

I wished to stop filming and turned my eyes away. But I could not, because I had to record this.

I wished to stop filming, punch the killers and save the pangolin. But I could not, because not only our safety would be in harm’s way, but also we would lose a chance to save more pangolins.

I don’t want to see such footage again and again, but it has to be seen by the world so that actions could be taken.

We are professional investigators but we are not professional film makers. At the beginning, we did not plan to turn our footage into a film. What we were hoping was to give such footage to the law enforcement so that they could close the black market. Sadly, we learned that Laos government does not take serious actions about this issue. Local conservationists told us, the only possible way of change is international exposure and pressure on the Laos government.

Therefore, our team made this short documentary, hoping it could put an end to the killing, hoping this is the end game for saving such beautiful animals.