On Feb 22, a weak and hungry four-month-old pangolin was found wandering along Upper Thomson Road. Rescuers immediately took it to Wildlife Reserves Singapore’s rescued wildlife centre, where vets did their best to hand-raise it. Even though these creatures don’t usually thrive under human care, the baby Sunda pangolin has been showing signs of recovery, like lapping up ants’ eggs, burrowing in a play tub, and clinging on to its caretaker’s arm, resistant to let go.
He goes for walks every morning and evening on forested grounds to exercise his sense of smell and develop his strong claws. Now he’s gone from 776g to 1.1kg (adult males can weigh up to 7.5kg), and will soon join the seven other Sunda pangolins at the Night Safari’s Fishing Cat Trail once he’s independent enough.
As a critically endangered animal, the Sunda pangolin is under the threat of habitat loss and motor vehicle accidents in Singapore. In light of this, the Night Safari is planning a new keeper interaction and feeding programme for the public, starting mid-May. This session will educate visitors on the creature’s history and current situation in the wild, to offer insights into its natural behaviour.
Watch our video on pangolins to learn more about the world’s most trafficked animal.
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