The Background

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in 2017 carried out one of the first rescues and releases of pangolins and managed to close down a Chinese pangolin breeding farm. This was done with the collaboration and support of the UWA, the Tikki Hywood Foundation (THF), and Rebeca Sandoval, co-founder of Biodiversity Alliance.

As a result of this success story, the Ugandan Wildlife Authority has continued to make a stand for the protection and conservation of pangolins, seeking to actively understand the situation in Uganda and put practices in place to pangolins. Since then the rescues and releases of pangolins from the illegal trade continue in collaboration with UWA.

How We Do It

Whenever the UWA receives a call reporting about a live pangolin either captured from the police from the illegal wildlife trade, or directly from a community member, Biodiversity Alliance receives the warning and the team starts the process:

Rescue phase: The team does a first evaluation of the pangolin and assists the animal with the first aid steps:

Hydration: offering water with some glucose.

Body temperature: Pangolins have poor thermoregulatory capabilities, so to keep the temperature right is crucial.

Put them in safe, dry place with some hay (or clothes if hay is unavailable).

Rehabilitation phase: If the pangolin is injured and needs medical care the team prepares to take it into care and nurse the animal until it is ready to be release.

Release phase: The area is chosen by the team depending on the species and habitat they live in. The release is done as soon as possible due to the low survival rate of pangolins in captivity.

BA works closely and supports the UWA in rescues and in the releases to ensure they are as quick as possible to maximise the chance of survival, since they are very sensitive animals and die easily if they are held in captivity for long.