Baby pangolin grows stronger each day
Baby Archie is a pangolin that was rescued with his mother pangolin, Sarabi and they are both being treated by the Provet Animal Hospital and Tzaneen Animal Clinic.
Scales Pangolin Rescue Fund last Monday provided an update on Sarabi, Archie’s mother who was rescued with her baby pangolin. “We would like to introduce you to her adorable baby, Archie. When Archie was confiscated alongside Sarabi, he weighed 280g, but by the time he was transported to Provet, he had already shed 35g, a substantial loss for such a tiny creature. Unfortunately, Sarabi was unable to lactate, and Archie struggled to feed.
Thus, the difficult but necessary decision was made to separate them, ultimately benefiting both Archie and Sarabi,” Amy Aucamp-Clark shared on the fund’s social media page. She thanked Dr. Debbie English at Provet, and Dr. Nicolene van der Berg from the Tzaneen Animal Clinic who she said “dedicated countless hours to tirelessly coaxing Archie to suckle and ensuring his warmth and stability”.
Also read: The Kalahari pangolin, Sarabi is recovering
“The initial weeks were undeniably challenging, but the perseverance paid off when Archie began sucking properly and rapidly gaining weight. Once Dr. English was confident that he had successfully navigated the initial hurdles, Archie was transferred to the rehabilitation centre,” she wrote. Archie, however, still has a lengthy journey ahead on his path back to the wild. “With each passing day, we observe more of the pangolin in him emerging.
He has taken to digging and revels in rolling in the dirt. While he hasn’t quite mastered the art of consuming ants and termites, he has made some progress, with a few tentative licks here and there. We are confident that in no time, he will eagerly devour them. Currently, Archie boasts an impressive weight of 980g,” added Aucamp-Clark.
Also read: Mom and baby pangolin get a second chance
He is a profound teacher, imparting valuable lessons, and he embodies the spirit of a resilient fighter. “We will continue to provide you with updates on his progress. The support we can offer to these incredible creatures relies entirely on the generosity of donors like you. There is no better time than this week to make a contribution.”
“When you donate up to $50 through our GlobalGiving campaign, you’ll receive a 50% matching fund incentive. We invite you to join us in making a meaningful impact by contributing. “A huge thank you to everyone involved in baby Archie’s journey so far. Provet Animal Hospital, Hope for Wildlife Helicopter Services, Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre Kalahari Wildlife Project, Tzaneen Animal Clinic and South African Police Service,” Aucamp-Clark concluded.
