Double Pangolin Rescue

The following story about pangolins was submitted by Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital in South Africa.

This pregnant Temminck’s pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) was retrieved from a community handover a couple of weeks back.

A collaborative effort between the African Pangolin Working Group, South African Police Service, Endangered Species and Stock Theft Unit, and the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, ensured her safety. She was then transported to us by Pangolin K9.

Once she was admitted to our hospital, our well developed Temminck’s pangolin protocol was followed, including sedation for blood samples to better understand her overall health.

We discovered her pregnancy while doing a routine abdominal ultrasound, thankfully the fetus appeared alive and healthy. In addition to this, once she was stable, she was taken for a CT scan. This is standard protocol for all our pangolin patients to ensure that we can do everything possible for them as well as see what underlying conditions we might not be able to pick up otherwise.

She recovered from her poaching horror ordeal and has already been released. She is under the watchful eyes of the APWG team on a private reserve.

We’d also like to send a massive thanks to EmerAid and Lafeber for sponsoring a superior food supplement. Our Temminck’s pangolin patients benefit highly from this donation, and we are so grateful that we can offer the best supplement to ensure that our patients, particularly when underweight, injured or ill, stand the best chance at survival.

PLEASE NOTE: All pangolin patients are housed off site at an undisclosed location for the protection of them as well as our staff.