Tag: PangolinRescue

Pangolin Rescued From Illegal Trade Gets a Second Chance at Life Rescue of a Trafficked Pangolin in Johannesburg In 2021, a young Temminck’s pangolin named Stevie was rescued from illegal wildlife traders in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was only three months old and separated from his mother, which made his survival even more difficult. Wildlife officers recovered him during a sting operation that also led to the arrest of a trafficker attempting to sell the animal on the black market. Stevie was named after Steven Koen, a police K9 officer who helped track down the wildlife trafficker during the investigation. Intensive Care and Rehabilitation Process After the rescue, Stevie was taken into specialist care under veterinarian Kelsey Skinner. His recovery required constant attention over six months. He was fed a carefully prepared cat milk formula to support his growth. Skinner also trained him to forage naturally, which is a critical survival skill for pangolins in the wild. Experts from the African Pangolin Working Group explained that young pangolins like Stevie often struggle in captivity, making rehabilitation a highly delicate process. The Challenge of Saving Pangolins From Trafficking Pangolins are considered the most trafficked wild mammals in the world. They are hunted for their scales and meat, which has led to a severe decline in their population. Between 2000 and 2016, more than a million pangolins were believed to have been illegally traded worldwide. Even recent seizure data shows hundreds of thousands more have been captured and moved through illegal networks. Conservation experts stress that protecting the species depends on saving individual animals whenever possible. Successful Release Back Into the Wild After months of recovery and training, Stevie was released back into his natural habitat in 2022. His rehabilitation is part of a wider conservation effort across Africa aimed at returning rescued pangolins to the wild. These programs require time, expertise, and careful monitoring to improve survival chances. Today, Stevie is reported to be thriving in the wild, showing that recovery is possible even after trafficking.
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Pangolin Rescued From Illegal Trade Gets a Second Chance at Life

He was only three months old and separated from his mother, which…

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