Cape Town - A rare ground pangolin, that was seized from suspected smugglers during a CapeNature operation last month, has been safely moved to a rehabilitation facility in Gauteng.
Pangolins are among the most trafficked mammals in the world because their scales are used in traditional medicine and their meat is considered a delicacy in the East.
CapeNature’s Justin Lawrence said their bio-diversity crime unit along with the Hawks had seized the animal. Five people have been charged with being in possession of an endangered wild animal without a permit and will appear in the Khayelitsha Regional Court on Friday.
The pangolin was taken to the CapeNature offices in Stellenbosch where mammal ecologist Coral Birss and her team acted to keep the animal hydrated.
“Pangolins struggle in captivity because of their specific diet and unique digestive systems,” Birss said.
“Ground pangolins are timid animals, so when they are startled they curl up into a ball. We kept the animal comfortable and hydrated, and after a while he was confidently moving about in our office.”
The pangolin was flown to Gauteng to be reintroduced into its natural habitat by The Bateleurs, an organisation which provides flying missions for conservation.
Cape Argus