Pangolin Release
We are thrilled to share the news of a rescued pangolin that was recently released onto the reserve. !Khamab Kalahari Reserve has put in immense efforts to create a safe and nurturing environment for all the naturally occurring wildlife in the region and in doing so, is able to contribute to the conservation of numerous endangered species.
This animal was rescued from poachers in the North West province and was promptly taken to the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital for care and rehabilitation to ensure he would be in a suitable condition for release. A special thank you to all those involved!
Given than pangolins are known to struggle when released into new environments, we are following a stringent release protocol which has been developed based on a wealth of knowledge from previous releases elsewhere in the country. We will continue to follow this protocol and monitor his condition accordingly to ensure that he has the best possible chance of a successful reintegration.
This release also forms part of active research undertaken by Kudu Meyer, which contributes to the development of pangolin release procedures and a greater understanding of these unique mammals.
Thank you to John Power and to Glen Thompson for all your help and showing us the ropes!
What makes this achievement even more extraordinary is the active participation of our valued guests in the monitoring process. We’d like to thank all those who have contributed, and a special thank you to Allen Shardelow and Tessa Moore, as well as Ian and Fiona Gordon-Clarke for sponsoring the SAT tag, and Rettet das Nashorn for sponsoring the VHF tag.
We are happy to report that the animal’s progress so far has been remarkable! He has made himself at home with a seemingly endless buffet of his favourite ant and termite species, and he has found shelter in multiple burrow sites. His condition continues to improve daily!
Given the sheer size of the reserve and the continuous hard work of all those involved, we hope it can serve as the release destination for many more pangolins fortunate enough to be saved from the illegal wildlife trade.
We look forward to keeping you informed about his successful release!
