Of Pangolins and the Mazda BT-50 4×4

Have you heard of pangolins? If you’re not someone who grew up watching Discovery Channel or the National Geographic Channel, there’s a high chance that you haven’t even heard of its existence. And we’re not entirely surprised. I, for one, have only heard of pangolins when I was addicted to Pokemon back in high school. It’s allegedly the animal that Sandslash was based on, but I digress.

Pangolins are quiet creatures, which, despite being covered in scales from head to toe, actually belong to the Mammalia class along with other unlikely candidates like dolphins, bats, and whales. Their submissive and meek nature is often dismissed to nonchalance.

This the very reason why we’re talking about pangolins in this tech and automotive site – because they need our help, and Mazda Philippines has heeded that call by bringing in a special BT-50 variant called the Pangolin edition.

Little did most people know, Philippine pangolins are a critically-endangered species. In the country, they’re endemic to the province of Palawan and are hunted for their meat and scales, poached for their alleged medicinal properties that other cultures seem to believe in.

Mazda Philippines wants to bring awareness to this gentle mammal through its special pickup truck variant, supporting the conservation program put up by the Katala Foundation.

“The BT-50 Pangolin is Mazda Philippines’ way to acknowledge our important role in preserving the delicate balance of our environment as we go about our daily lives,” shares Mazda Philippines president and CEO Steven Tan.

“The Philippine Pangolin is an endemic and critically endangered species that deserves our attention and concern. Like the BT-50, it is a reserved, yet highly proficient, hard worker. That is why together with Katala Foundation, a non-stock, non-profit Philippine NGO that is active in protecting and conserving threatened endemic wildlife, we at Mazda Philippines will make use of the enduring nature of the BT-50 to promote awareness and inspire conservation of the Philippines’ and the world’s most critically endangered mammals.”

I’ve sat down with Mr. Tan during a special shoot with the newly-launched pickup truck. He’s contagiously passionate about this BT-50 Pangolin project and I sensed his sincerity when he was discussing the dangers that these defenseless animals have to face from its scariest predators: human beings.

To bring pangolins into the limelight, each Mazda BT-50 Pangolin edition comes with pangolin decals left and right. Based on the BT-50 3.2 4×4 AT variant, the truck also comes with body kits to represent toughness, which include side steps, a steel sports bar, an aluminum roof rack, fender flares, and a bed liner – all come in black finish. Even the 17-inch ROTA alloy wheels come in black, the while ensemble matches the Titanium Flash launch color that you see here.

In support of Katala Foundation’s cause, Mazda Philippines is also lending out one of these BT-50 4×4 Pangolin Edition units for one year. The NGO will use the unit to promote its wildlife protection advocacies, as well as perform its preservation and monitoring duties.

The new BT-50 Pangolin is available in six colors: Cool White, Titanium Flash, True Red, Jet Black, Aluminum Metallic, and Deep Crystal Blue. As a bonus, Mazda is selling the BT-50 Pangolin Edition with a special introductory price of P1,400,000 – P150,000 off from a regular BT-50 4×4’s SRP of P1,550,000. And yes, that price includes all the upgrades you see here.

Even better, the BT50 4×4 Pangolin comes with Mazda 5-Year Free Service Plan that includes 10 Periodic Maintenance Service schedules over 5 years, or 100,000 kilometers, whichever occurs first.The Mazda BT-50 4×4 Pangolin Edition is a tough-looking pickup truck with a heart, and if you’re as passionate as Mr. Tan to help spread awareness about this special animal, this one’s your best shot. The pickup truck is just a bonus.