CBCGDF’ Volunteers Search Fodder for the Last Five Pangolins | Emergency Pangolin Rescue
2019/5/1 19:04:00 本站

At 10 am, April 19, it is raining in Guangzhou. A pangolin called “snore” died. It is also the frailest one among the five surviving pangolins.

 

It is heartbreaking to witness its death." Sophia, the director of Pangolin Working Group of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), has flown to Guangzhou twice in one week to rescue the pangolins. She attended the seminar of rescue experts on April 17. Since then, she has been staying in the rescue spot with the assistance of Guangdong provincial wildlife rescue center.

 

The five pangolins are confiscated in the “Defender 2019”, a special campaign to combat endangered species smuggling led by anti-smuggling bureaus of General Administration of Customs and of Guangdong Provincial Customs in the late March. According to reports, endangered species and relevant products have been confiscated in 14 cities of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces in this major special campaign, including 14.55kg of ivory, 315.7g of rhinoceros horn, a pair of tiger teeth, 103 living pangolins, 52 pangolin specimens, 21.55kg of pangolin scales, eagles and bear’s paws. The fate of the confiscated 103 living pangolins worries many people.

 

These confiscated endangered animals and products were subsequently transferred to Guangdong and Guangxi provincial departments. 103 pangolins were directly sent to the wildlife rescue centers in two provinces. The Pangolin Working Group of CBCGDF submitted its request to participate in the rescue after learning the news. On March 25, 21 living pangolins and 5 specimens were transferred to Guangdong provincial Wildlife Rescue Center.

 

Guangdong Wildlife Rescue Center thinks highly of this issue and conducts a physical examination, identification, and treatment immediately. However, many technical challenges remain because to rescue the poached pangolins is still a universal problem. Moreover, it has been raining in Guangzhou, and the temperature is relatively low. Several of Malay pangolins died after being sent to the provincial wildlife rescue center.

 

On March 25, the day when pangolins were transferred, one pangolin died. There were scratches and multiple tick bites on its abdomen. On March 29, another pangolin which has numerous injuries died. By April 14, there are only 5 living pangolins left.

 

On April 17, Sophia arrived at Guangzhou to attend the joint rescue. And she respectively proceeded to the rescue base on April 18 and 19 to observe pangolins’ physical condition at night. In the morning of April 19, CBCGDF’s rescue staff gave their names as “always sleep”, “no move”, “snore", "little kid", and "last night". "no move" is the smallest one. "last night" is active and moves at two successive night. "snore" seems the weakest one. Unfortunately, "snore" stopped its breath in front of rescue experts at 10 am April 19.

 

On the one hand, a panel of rescue professionals has kept all-day monitoring, anti-inflammatory treatment, specimen dissection, and pathological analysis; on the other hand, we need to find proper food for the left pangolins. Pangolin has a unique eating pattern. Pangolin is nocturnal, and its diet consists of main termites. It is shy, and few life habits have been known. According to the experts, a pangolin eats at least 30ml food each day, but where can we find proper food for them in the metropolis?

 

In the morning of April 18, after closely observing the pangolins, the Pangolin Working Group of CBCGDF decided to arrange two teams, one for searching food on the internet, and the other for searching ants and termites in the wild. But successive downpours in Guangzhou interrupted the original plan.

 

In the afternoon of April 19, the experts from Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources made fodder with a special recipe and sent it to pangolin rescue base. The fodder must be kept at low temperature and should be ground and add cold water. At about 3 pm, CBCGDF received dried black ants from Kaili, Guizhou. Although the rescue workers are unable to save the "snore", everyone is slightly relieved when the fodder has been delivered in succession.

 

 Each time when we successfully rescue a pangolin, it makes us feel we save a baby from the road”, the Pangolin Working Group of CBCGDF describes how it feels in pangolin protection. In the evening of April 19, Sophia found that “last night” and “always sleep” started to move, and “last night” not only ate food also climbed the stump.

 

 It is essential for pangolins in the treatment to maintain strength and status", Sophia hopes that more people may contribute to the following work, including treatment, fodder provision, and wild release, and join hands to protect pangolins.


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(Photo credt: CBCGDF)


Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/8339.html


By / Wang Yanqing