A collaboration between two sanctuaries in Cameroon has led to the successful rescue of an endangered white-bellied pangolin.

The rescue

On the evening of the 4th of October 2022, the Limbe Wildlife Centre (LWC) received a call that a member of the public was in possession of a white-bellied pangolin. They had bought the pangolin from someone who had caught it to eat it. They knew that the pangolin was an endangered species, so they brought the animal to the LWC.
The pangolin was left in a safe and secure enclosure to rest overnight until the following day, when the veterinary team performed a health check. It was a young male who was dehydrated but in good health. The veterinary staff removed several ticks under his scales and on his belly. He was offered some milk formula to drink and given the opportunity to forage for ants, but he was uninterested in food. Pangolins are notoriously tricky to keep in captivity, as they need live insects to eat, so providing them with the nutritional diet they need to stay strong and healthy is not easy. Fortunately, there is a specialist sanctuary in Cameroon that rescues pangolins.

The transfer

The Tikki Hywood Foundation (THF) has specialised species knowledge and offers a safe space to rehabilitate rescued pangolins until they are strong enough to be released back into the wild. The LWC contacted THF for their advice to care for the pangolin, and it was decided he would be transferred to the special Tikki Hywood rehabilitation centre in to ensure he had the best possible chance at being released.
The LWC is unique in Cameroon in that it is a partnership between NGO Pandrillus and the Cameroon Government, and it was possible to quickly obtain permission from the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) to transfer the pangolin, for whose support we are extremely grateful. On the 6th of October, the pangolin was placed into his custom-built crate. One of the LWC’s veterinary team personally undertook the journey to hand the pangolin to THF.
Julie Vanassache, who heads the rehabilitation centre, accepted the pangolin into her care. Along with her excellent staff of rehabilitators, the young pangolin has a bright future ahead of him. He is reportedly eating well and already putting on weight. The two sanctuaries agreed to call him Miyaka, meaning “thank you” in Metta, a Cameroonian dialect.

We believe that collaboration plays a key role in conservation. Would you like to collaborate with us on ways to help or raise money for our animals? Get in touch!

We rely on donations to carry out our important work. Please consider donating to the Limbe Wildlife Centre today.

Giving Day for Apes 2022 is just around the corner! This year, we are appealing for your help to reach our goal of $15,000 for our orphan apes at the Limbe Wildlife Centre.

Giving Day for Apes is an annual global contest, where ape sanctuaries compete to raise the most money and win additional prizes. The Limbe Wildlife Centre has to compete against many African sanctuaries – but we need your help more than ever. For nearly 30 years, the LWC has been rescuing apes that have fallen victim to the illegal bushmeat and pet trade. We provide a second chance and a safe home for these animals. That means some of our apes are getting on in years now, and need specialist care to keep them strong and healthy – not to mention we have three disabled apes in our care too!

To make it as easy as possible for you, we have put together a table of the times for the big day. You can help us by donating (as little as $5!) and encouraging all your friends and family to donate during the “most unique donors” power hour, and by making your large contributions during the “most dollars raised” power hour. We have the chance to win an additional $2,500 if we win these categories!

We can not wait to see you on the 11th of October! You can visit our Giving Day page here. You can see the full detailed schedule here.