The Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region planned to release two pangolins in the wild at the end of March and invited CBCGDF to participate in the field investigation. CBCGDF paid high attention to this. Sophia, the pangolin girl, quickly made a series preparations for the inspection (The Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region invited "pangolin girl" from CBCGDF to participate in the investigation of Chinese pangolin's field release), and contacted professor Zhu Shaohe, the member of CBCGDF’s expert group and director of China pangolin research center, Dr. Sara Platto, professor of veterinary medicine and ethology in Jianghan university, and Taiwanese experts in pangolin release for careful preparation.

This trip investigated the nature reserve of western Daming mountain in Chongzuo, the protection area of Chinese pangolin- Guangxi, and the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain, and made key investigations on four points in the three places. The team members walked for nearly 43.5km and 800km by car, which took a total of three days. It is particularly worth mentioning that on February 27, during the inspection in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain, a ranger told members that the pangolin was found foraging on April 10, 2018, and relevant photos and the video was taken. Details of the situation are as follows.

After Sophia inquired that the direction was not the sunny side, the whole team went down the hill to re-select the spot. (The picture was taken by Sophia in Nae sub-field on February 26)

Part of the mountain has no vegetation between the woods. (The picture was taken by Sophia in Nae sub-field on February 26)

Star anise can be seen everywhere along the way, and the smell of star anise is obvious in the air. (The picture was taken by Sophia in Nae sub-field on February 26)

At 4 am on February 26, Sophia left for Nanning. At 2 pm, she waited for the rendezvous with the Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. After that, the team went to Nae branch of Fenghuang mountain forest farm which located in the nature reserve of western Daming mountain. The highest altitude here is 592.8 meters. According to observations along the way, pesticide bags, a large number of eucalyptus trees and star anise trees are seen on the road, which is not good for the living environment of pangolins. Of course, there is some rotten wood eaten by ants. According to the head of the Nae branch, he has never seen a pangolin since he started working in 1995.

White ants on rotten wood (The picture was taken by Sophia in Nae sub-field on February 26)

Pesticide bags left over from crop cultivation (The picture was taken by Sophia in Nae sub-field on February 26)

At 11 a.m. on February 27, the team arrived at Ningming county of Chongzuo city, the protection area of Chinese pangolin in Guangxi province. The highest altitude was over 900 meters. The fog was very big, the air was humid, and the visibility was low. The team focused on communicating with the back-hills in the protected area and tracker-related issues.

The expedition is going to make an on-the-spot investigation to the back hill. (The picture was taken by volunteers in Guangxi, protection area of Chinese pangolin on February 27)

Observation of ants by Sophia (The picture was taken by volunteers in Guangxi, protection area of Chinese pangolin on February 27)

The third site is located in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain in Fangchenggang, where the highest elevation is 663 meters. Mr. Lu, a forest ranger from one of the reserve management stations, told the team that he found a pangolin foraging on April 10, 2018, and took relevant photos and video. Unfortunately, the video in Mr. Lu's mobile phone was deleted by the child by mistake, and now only one photo is left. After the team on-site comparison of the photo's content and retention time as well as the testimony of the relevant witnesses, the authenticity of the photo can be confirmed.

The forest ranger explains where termites appear based on their own experience. (The picture was taken by Sophia in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain on February 27)

The team listened to the ranger describes the pangolin that was found passing by. (The picture was taken by forest rangers in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain on February 27)

Sophia asked the detailed information about the discovery of pangolin. Mr. Lu recalled that it was evening when he was riding his motorcycle passed by. Suddenly, something fell down from the mountain on his left. When he stopped the bike, he looked back and saw that it was globose. At first, he thought it was a bamboo rat, because he had never seen a pangolin before, and the light was not good in the evening. So, he squatted down to have a closer look and took out his mobile phone to take photos and record video. At that time, the pangolin slowly climbed the tree on the edge of the mountain and ate ants. Mr. Lu marveled at the fierce pangolin, which can be fixed to the tree with its tail to "eat". He also went back for a new phone, so that the next time he can shoot more clearly.

The pangolin is looking for food. (The picture was taken by Mr. Lu, a forest ranger, in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain on April 10, 2018.)

Sophia suggested that the place where the pangolin was found should be observed carefully to see if there might be pangolin's cave. The rest of the team thought miscanthus was too deep to see anything. Finally, with the support of two forest rangers, Sophia chose the sunny side of the mountain and started to enter the thatch.

Sophia observes ants in the place where pangolins might appear. (The picture was taken by volunteers in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain on February 27)

The vegetation is so dense that you can't see the people in front of you a few steps away. (The picture was taken by Sophia in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain on February 27)

According to another forest ranger, Mr. Bao, he said that it is the edge of the reserve and also considered as the area of forest farm, but no one enters here. The lowest temperature is 0 degrees, and there are many wild boars and bison. I have heard that there are pangolins before, but that was a long time ago, and there are local folk customs that it is not good to see pangolins.

In the course of the search, we found many fallen dead trees, one of which was very thick with black ants. Miscanthus and the dry grass pile together that makes too thick to set foot on anywhere. Pangolins don't travel very far, and the hole is most likely nearby. Unfortunately, as it was getting dark and the journey was long, Sophia and the three had to go down the mountain to join the team for the next research site.

Sophia checks the pangolin photos with the ambulance veterinarian. (The picture was taken by forest rangers in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain on February 27)

The photo of pangolin taken on April 10, 2018, stored on Rangers' mobile phones (The picture was taken by Sophia in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain on February 27)

The photograph taken by Mr. Lu was sent to several experts. After comparison, it was confirmed as a Malayan pangolin.

At 11 o 'clock on the morning of February 28, the team came to another management and protection station in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain. The wet road caused some inconvenience to the investigation. This investigation was mainly along the stream, which can be called cross mountains and rives. The elevation is all within 300 meters.

The expedition needed to cross many waterways. (The picture was taken by Sophia in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain on February 28)

The department of forestry in Fangchenggang attached great importance to the investigation on February 27 and came here specially to discuss how to strengthen the management and control. (The picture was taken by Sophia in the national nature reserve of Shiwan mountain on February 28)

The results of this investigation will be introduced at the seminar on the wild release of Chinese pangolins, which will be held by the Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Expertise from CBCGDF will also participate in the seminar. However, this time, what is different from other experts is CBCGDF attends at its own expense.

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/7815.html

By / Crystal