Shropshire Star

Baby pangolin named Hope nursed back to health after being found on road

The pangolin was given a ‘precious second chance’ by zookeepers.

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The pangolin was nursed back to health

A baby pangolin has been given a “precious second chance”, as zookeepers nursed him back to health after he was found on a road.

The pangolin was cared for in Thailand by conservation charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London) after he was found alone last month by a villager.

Named Hope by his rescuers, the pangolin, thought to be just a month old, was at first not expected to survive, but has now gained weight, is snacking on ant eggs, and has been practising his climbing skills in his temporary home.

Hope the pangolin
Hope the pangolin (ZSL Mahidol University)

Dr Eileen Larney, a ZSL conservationist, said: “It’s been an anxious few weeks for the ZSL team taking care of Hope.

“He’s the first infant we’ve ever rescued so it’s certainly been a steep learning curve.

“After being given this precious second chance, something many of his species do not, we’re now assessing whether Hope can be released into the wild, but even there, like all pangolins, he sadly faces an uncertain future.”

Hope is the third pangolin rescued in Thailand in April through ZSL’s “Pangolin Protector” network, with the first two released back into safe, monitored locations in the wild.

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