Pangolin Nicolas settles back into the wild
A Temminck pangolin that was found in a street in Gauteng in December last year, is recovering from his ordeal.

Amy Aucamp-Clark, founder and CEO of Scales Pangolin Rescue Fund, says the pangolin, called Nicolas, was found wandering in Kempton Park by residents who contacted the South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. “Nicolas has been a total rockstar and an absolute delight for those helping him recover! On his nightly foraging walks, finds ants and starts lapping them up instantly. “He stuck close, going from one ant nest to another and because of this and the fact that he escaped before losing too much weight, Nicolas bounced back super fast.”
She says that earlier last month, he was taken to a secure location for his soft release. “On his first night out, he went on a bit of a wander, but we think he was just checking out his new surroundings. “Since then, he’s stayed put in the same area, showing he’s settling in nicely and finding all the essentials: food, water, and shelter. “He will continue to be monitored daily for at least another week or two to ensure he has settled in but so far, the team is very hopeful for a successful return to the wild,” she says.
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When he was rescued, he was taken to Terrace Road Veterinary Hospital where he was met by members of the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital who could properly assess his condition and safely transport him to their facility for further care. “Thankfully he had not sustained any injuries from his capturers or during his escape. “With no one knowing where he had come from it is assumed he was taken to the city after being poached and he managed to escape his capturers whilst they were seeking a buyer.”
On admission to Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital, he was found to be extremely emaciated and dehydrated, he received lifesaving IV fluids and supplementary tube feeding, allowing him to be stabilised before engaging in foraging walks. After eight days he was strong enough to move to Provet Animal Hospital in Hoedspruit to continue his recovery.
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Under the dedicated care of Dr Debbie English and his assigned walkers, Nicolas continues to improve, steadily gaining weight at a positive pace, she adds. “A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who has played a role in Nicolas’s journey of recovery and freedom, with a special thank you to Royal Malewane who have very generously sponsored the entire costs of Nicolas’s and release,” she concludes.