Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital tries multiple times to save baby pangolin

 

Fighting poaching and the illegal wildlife trade is Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital‘s main mandate as they recently attempted multiple times to save a baby pangolin from dying.

According to the hospital’s wildlife rehabilitation specialist Nicci Wright, with just over a week, they had been fighting to save the life of a baby pangolin who they have named, Menina. “She was in very bad condition due to the harsh circumstances that she was forced to endure after she was poached and held in the illegal wildlife trade.”

Wright explained that after being severely compromised, Menina did not have the strength to hunt for food. “Over the past few days since the placement of a feeding tube [gastric peg tube], they monitored Menina carefully and were able to feed her smaller meals regularly which she seems to be responding well to.”

She explained that while initially, they saw an improvement in Menina’s condition, it then changed when her energy levels depleted once again. “She was placed on a drip but succumbed to her compromised state, sadly. Poached pangolins often spent days, often two weeks, without food or water, this places a massive strain on their systems that are often difficult to recover from.”

The specialist explained that with use of the tube feeding, it regularly meant utilising light sedation frequently which was not ideal for Menina’s compromised system.

“We then enlisted the specialist assistance from Fourways Vet Hospital to place a peg tube which will make it easier for them to ensure that Menina can easily digest food. This would give her the best chance at recovering her energy levels and allowing her body to recuperate from the neglect that she had endured.”

The peg tube technique was a world first in the treatment of pangolins. “This is a unique idea that we believe will be successful in the future and will save more compromised pangolins. It would have been successful this time had this little pangolin not been so compromised, to begin with,” Wright said.

She added that attempting to save a critically endangered species is incredibly taxing on their team especially when they receive such indescribable creatures who are on the brink of death.

“It is even more difficult when they show signs of improvement that give us hope, which is quickly taken away when they take a turn for the worst. We’re so sorry that our attempts at a second chance of life couldn’t save you, Menina.”

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