A pregnant pangolin rescued from the hands of poachers arrived in poor condition at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital. She has since given birth to a healthy pangopup.
‘Born to a Temminck’s pangolin retrieved from the illegal wildlife trade by the South African Police Service and the Department of Homeland Security, this little Tot is now 27 days old!’ the hospital wrote on Facebook.
‘On arrival, her mother was highly compromised and CT scans revealed a severe pneumonia, amongst other concerns. We saw that she was pregnant while performing a routine abdominal ultrasound and this perfect pup was born while her mother, Tayta, was still under our care. Still very compromised, the mother was not able to care for her pup adequately nor was she producing enough milk to feed Tot. A decision was made to separate the two, to ensure that we could effectively treat Tayta (up until this point our medical interventions had to be sensitive to her unborn pup), and keep Tot alive too.’
‘It is sad that due to the ongoing pangolin poaching crisis, this little pup and her mother can not enjoy a a natural life together,’ the hospital continued.
‘We know that when old enough she will adapt easily to a wild and natural surrounding. For now, we are enthralled with her and enjoy watching her grow and develop. Now feeding four hourly, she has doubled in weight since birth and is getting stronger and stronger every day. Her personality is showing itself as this little wonder unfolds.’
Take a look at the precious pangopup below:
All pangolin patients at the hospital are housed off site at an undisclosed location.
The Johannesburg Wildlife Hospital treats indigenous animals free of charge, relying solely on the donations and support of our community.
For more information or to get involved, contact 071 248 1514 or [email protected]
Pictures: Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital/ Nicci Wright, Lauren Beckley, Ashleigh Pienaar, Sarah Kempen
