‘My Octopus Teacher’ Director's New Doc: Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey

Photo Credit: Gareth Thomas /Netflix

The director of ‘My Octopus Teacher ’, Pippa Ehrlich, is bringing us all another opportunity to step into the world of animals, this time on land with ‘Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey’ is the story of a rehabilitated South African pangolin.

South Africa (11 March 2025) — A new documentary is set to hit screens soon, and it’s one wildlife lovers won’t want to miss. Directed by Pippa Ehrlich (who also gave us the Oscar-winning ‘My Octopus Teacher’), the new doccie is dubbed ‘Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey’. And it’s set to tell a very important story—the pangolin’s.

By following one little South African pangolin named Kulu and Gareth, who helped rehabilitate her following a sting operation, the documentary hopes to hone in on the pangolin’s plight.

The pangolin is one of the most ancient animals in the world. It’s also the most-trafficked mammal of all time.

‘The wise old man of the bush’ in African folklore, due to its solitary and reclusive nature, the pangolin has long attracted human fascination. However, it wasn’t long until fascination turned into money-hungry eyes for many.

With eight known pangolin species split between Africa and Asia, the illegal wildlife trade has unfortunately had decades of field days. Some species are listed as critically endangered, while others aren’t far behind at vulnerable statuses.

The animal is largely poached for its scales, based on the unfounded belief that they have medicinal value.

Because the pangolin is shy and subdued in nature, it does not take the offence when encountering danger. Instead, it curls up into a ball of ‘armour’, which makes it an easy target for humans.

However, the more we know, the better we can do.

Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey, then, is a big step in telling a story that isn’t often told. And for it to be told by the talent that is Pippa Ehrlich could see it reach the world. The Pangolin Crisis Fund couldn’t be more thrilled to have partnered with Pippa on the new documentary and are encouraging everyone to mark their calendars for its release!