Taipei Zoo

Pangolins are considered to be hard to raise. Taipei Zoo has done much effort on research in rescue and captive pangolins for nearly thirty years. Now the Zoo has developed its method, and successfully reproduced the fourth pangolin on December 9, 2010.

The backs of pangolins are covered with scales for protection. They can swim and are good at climbing trees. But they are toothless, so they rely upon their long tongues while eating. The primary diets are ants and termites. Due to its special diet, it is hard to raise in an artificial environment. Fifty years ago, Nuremberg Zoo of Germany raised an African pangolin, but it only lasted for three months. By the 1970s, various zoos around the world have attempted to display pangolins, but finally gave up. In recent years, Taipei Zoo has successfully reproduced pangolins attribute to its research. A pair of pangolins had been sent to Zoo Leipzig, Germany. And with the sustaining technical instruction and exchange, they are in breeding season.

Pangolins are afraid of coldness. They often tremble and sneeze under 25 degrees Celsius. So the zoo keeper planned to shift the mother pangolin to an incubation room for delivery during a cold front in December. However, the keeper found that the baby was already delivered in the hole dug by the mom. The eyes of the baby pangolin were closed, its scales were tender, and it was about 105 grams in weight. The male baby pangolin is named “Changui.”

Changpang, father of Changui, is the first pangolin born at Taipei Zoo in 1997. In 2005, the second pangolin was born, but died after eight months due to weaning. The third pangolin Changbei was born in 2010. And the fourth, Changui, was born on December 9, 2010.