Scales Pangolin Rescue Fund

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Scales Pangolin Rescue Fund

Funding the rehabilitation & release of Temminck's Pangolins rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.

13/06/2025

🥐 Timothy confidently mastering "Rock Climbing"

In November 2024, Timothy’s story began with a heartwarming community handover, where a quick-thinking local turned him over to authorities, saving him from the clutches of the illegal wildlife trade. He arrived a touch rattled but remarkably resilient.

ALL PANGOLINS ARE HOUSED AND TREATED OFF-SITE AT UNDISCLOSED SECURE LOCATIONS.

For two weeks, our expert team at Provet Animal Hospital pampered him with round-the-clock care, monitoring for any delayed health issues from his ordeal. That diligent attention meant Timothy was ready to return to the bush in record time.

Since his release, he’s been a star, foraging ant feasts and exploring his habitat with gusto. Our latest monitoring check-ins, like this rock-climbing spectacle, show he’s thriving and fully at home in the wild.

Timothy’s journey highlights the power of community vigilance and expert teamwork in saving Temminck’s pangolins.

Heartfelt thanks to Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre, Provet Animal Hospital and our dedicated donors for making Timothy’s wild return possible.

05/06/2025

Myths vs. Facts🥐

❌ Myth: Pangolins are reptiles because they have scales.
✔️ Fact: Nope, pangolins are 100% mammals! Those scales? They are made of keratin, like your nails, plus pangolins nurse their pups with milk from mammary glands. They’re super unique, the only mammals with scales!

29/05/2025

Archie’s a wild pangolin superstar! 🥐 This tough little Temminck’s pangolin has come so far, and we’re bursting with pride! Rescued at just 280g with his mom Sarabi from the illegal wildlife trade in 2023.

ALL PANGOLINS ARE HOUSED AND TREATED OFF-SITE AT UNDISCLOSED SECURE LOCATIONS.

Archie faced big challenges, too weak to nurse, he dropped to 245g. Dr. Debbie English at worked miracles, coaxing him to suckle, after which his suregate mom helped him grow to a hefty 3kg by late 2023. From tentative ant licks to climbing slopes with that strong tail, Archie learned to be a proper pangolin, even donating blood to save another recued pangolin last year!

Released to the wild in earlier this year, he’s now a foraging champ, sniffing out ant feasts and finding cozy shelters. Our latest check-ins? He’s bolting from his monitors; check the video! It tugs our hearts, but when he runs, we know we’ve done our job right. It’s proof he’s truly wild again!

As always a HUGE thank you to everyone involved in his journey Provet Animal Hospital Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre Tzaneen Animal Clinic Limpopo Pangolin Collective Hope for Wildlife Helicopter Services Kalahari Wildlife Project and our amazing donors for making Archie’s journey possible.

23/05/2025

Did you know❓

🥐Temminck’s pangolins are cool in more ways than one! Unlike most mammals, they keep their body temperature low, around 32-34°C. It’s like they’ve got a built-in thermostat set for max efficiency, perfect for their low-key, ant-munching lifestyle.

Why? It’s all about saving energy. When left in nature they live a chilled life, munching ants and termites at night and napping in burrows by day, so they don’t need to burn as much fuel. That cooler temp helps them stay efficient, like a car sipping gas on a long road trip. In the wild, it’s a game-changer, letting them thrive in tough spots with scarce food. But if they’re stressed or sick, like when they get caught up in the illegal trade, it can mess with their system, which is why thorough rehabilitation is so key.

22/05/2025

🌈 Get READY to GO WILD at the RAINBOW RUSH CHALLENGE this June! 🌈

Scales Conservation Fund is unleashing a COLOUR EXPLOSION to save our scaly pals! Dash, dance, or dazzle through a rainbow-soaked adventure, and a chunk of the funds will zoom straight to our Pangolin Rescue Fund to help these adorable, armor-clad critters thrive!

Picture this: you, covered in vibrant colours, racing for a cause that saves the world’s most trafficked mammal. It’s gonna be a BLAST! 🌟

📅 When: June 21st
📍 Where: The Thirsty Giraffe, Hoedspruit
🎨 How to Join: www.scales.org.za/event-details/rainbow-rush-challenge-2025

Grab your crew, throw on your brightest gear, and let’s paint the town RAINBOW for pangolin power! Share this post, and let’s make this colour-crazy challenge a SUCCESS for conservation! ✨

19/05/2025

Ntombi’s thriving! 🥐 Our fierce mama-to-be, rescued from poachers while pregnant, is absolutely owning her wild life! Since her release, she’s been under the watchful eye of an amazing monitoring team, and every check-in shows her chowing down on ants and looking super healthy.

ALL PANGOLINS ARE HOUSED AND TREATED OFF-SITE AT UNDISCLOSED SECURE LOCATIONS.

Seeing Ntombi strut her stuff in the bush, is the ultimate reward for our team's hard work. It takes a village to get these scaly heroes back where they belong, and we’re so grateful for the incredible teamwork.

Huge thanks to Provet Animal Hospital Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre and Limpopo Pangolin Collective for making her comeback possible.

17/05/2025

Trivia answer time! 🥐

On Thursday we asked about the resting heartbeat rate of a Temminck’s pangolin, and the answer is… B) 30-35 beats per minute! That’s super chill for a mammal, showing how relaxed these scaly buddies are when they’re not sniffing out ants.

Thanks to everyone who guessed, more pangolin trivia coming up next month!

16/05/2025

It’s Endangered Species Day, and we’re shouting out about our scaly friends, Temminck’s pangolins! 🥐

These incredible creatures are critically endangered, pushed to the edge by poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. Their scales make them targets, and their habitats are shrinking, leaving them with nowhere to hide. But every rescue, like Biscuit’s epic comeback or Ntombi’s momma-to-be journey, shows there is hope.

Our teams fight to save these gentle ant eaters, rehabbing them and releasing them to safe wild homes. Want to help? Share this post to spread the word about their plight, every share raises awareness and brings us closer to saving pangolins!

15/05/2025

Trivia time, pangolin fans! 🥐

How fast does a Temminck’s pangolin’s heart beat when it’s just chilling? These scaly buddies have tough hearts, but what’s their resting rate?

Pick your answer:
A) 10-15 beats per minute
B) 30-35 beats per minute
C) 50-55 beats per minute
D) 70-75 beats per minute

Drop your guess (A, B, C, or D) in the comments and we will reveal the answer on Saturday!

13/05/2025

Biscuit’s absolutely crushing it! 🥐 This tough little male pangolin is living his wild dream, and we’re bursting with excitement and pride!

ALL PANGOLINS ARE HOUSED AND TREATED OFF-SITE AT UNDISCLOSED SECURE LOCATIONS

Rescued from the illegal wildlife trade as a traumatized youngster, Biscuit faced some rough times, poached, sick, and in need of serious TLC. But this little fighter never gave up.

With months of care, including countless bush walks with his dedicated “walker”, Biscuit grew strong and went back to the wild at the start of the year. Since then, he’s been a foraging superstar, packing on nearly 2kg and owning his new home like a pro.

From sniffing out ant feasts to strutting confidently through the bush, he’s showing us what a pangolin comeback looks like! His latest check-ins have us grinning, he’s thriving, exploring, and just loving life.

Pangolin rescue and rehabilitation is a team effort. We extend heartfelt thanks to Limpopo Pangolin Collective Provet Animal Hospital Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre Tzaneen Animal Clinic and our incredible donors for making Biscuit’s journey possible.

11/05/2025

Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible moms out there, especially our pangolin mamas! 🥐

Temminck’s pangolin moms, like Autumn, ans Olive are absolute legends. They carry their tiny pups on their backs, showing them how to sniff out ants and navigate the wild, all while shining in their scaly glory. Even through tough times, snares, stress, and the illegal trade, these moms keep their little ones safe. At Scales Pangolin Rescue Fund, we’re honored to help these supermoms get back to the wild, rehabbing them so they can raise their pups free and wild, where they belong.

ALL PANGOLINS ARE HOUSED AND TREATED OFF-SITE AT UNDISCLOSED SECURE LOCATIONS.

Here’s to the fierce, fabulous pangolin moms and all moms everywhere! Drop a 🧡to celebrate their strength!

07/05/2025

Paige is living her best life! 🥐
We introduced you to this tough female Temminck’s pangolin back in December, pulled from the illegal wildlife trade with a rough past—she’d been stuck in a snare for ages, leaving some nasty wounds. Despite the pain, Paige was a fighter.

ALL PANGOLINS ARE HOUSED AND TREATED OFF-SITE AT UNDISCLOSED SECURE LOCATIONS.

The awesome folks at Provet Animal Hospital carefully removed the snare, cleaned her wounds, and gave her days of intensive care with antibiotics. Slowly, she started to heal. By January, Paige was acing her soft release, settling into a safe wild home, feeding, exploring, and even cozying up in her first burrow.

Look at her now, chilling in her burrow like a queen! She’s finding plenty of food and owning her new habitat, all while the team keeps a close eye to ensure she thrives. Paige’s grit is why we all keep going, her story shows the power of second chances and it’s because of teamwork.

We extend heartfelt thanks to Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre Provet Animal Hospital Limpopo Pangolin Collective and you, our amazing donors, for making Paige’s comeback possible.

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Hoedspruit

Website

http://www.scales.org.za/pangolin-rescue-fund

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Our Story

South Africa is home to the little known Temminck's ground pangolin. There is a rapidly escalating and urgent need to help save pangolins confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade. ProVet Wildlife Services are at the cutting edge of these conservation efforts, and are leading the way in rescue and rehabilitation of these elusive and critically endangered species.

Pangolins are the world's most illegally trafficked animal in the world! Poached for both traditional African beliefs, as well as rapidly developing Asian markets for use in traditional medicines and as a delicacy. The fact is that pangolin scales are made out of keratin. No different to human finger and toenails.

The Pangolin Rescue Fund is working very closely with ProVet Wildlife Services, Hoedspruit's specialist wildlife veterinarians, led by Dr Pete Rogers, as the rescued pangolin first responders, medical carers and support for all pangolins rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in the Hoedspruit area. The pangolins arrive severely compromised, stressed, malnourished and dehydrated, requiring around the clock medical care and support.

With your help through contributions, symbolic adoptions and raising awareness we can give the pangolins that are rescued from the illegal wildlife trade a second chance in life and return them back to the wild where they belong!