Pangolins in Captivity Worldwide

[Giant Eland]

I know Jonas Livet saw Indian Pangolin at a zoo in Sri Lanka. Not sure if they still have them.

 

[Antimony96]

Any particular reason why pangolins are so rare in captivity? I'd think there'd be more interest given conservation concerns.

 

[Hyak_II]

Any particular reason why pangolins are so rare in captivity? I'd think there'd be more interest given conservation concerns.

The primary reason is simply that Pangolins don't do particularly well under human care. Although significant progress has been made in recent years, diet continues to be the primary issue in that regard. They don't acclimate very well to commercial diets unlike other similar insectivores (anteaters, echidna, aardvark, etc), and its been an ongoing process to come up with a formula they truly thrive on. Although some longer term success is finally occurring outside of range countries, I doubt they will ever be common under human care due to both the very small likely hood of more entering human care even assuming they manage to fully iron out their dietary needs, and because there is such a small founding population in captivity to begin with, and it has been fairly patchy breeding results within that small population.

 

[Jambi]

The primary reason is simply that Pangolins don't do particularly well under human care. Although significant progress has been made in recent years, diet continues to be the primary issue in that regard. They don't acclimate very well to commercial diets unlike other similar insectivores (anteaters, echidna, aardvark, etc), and its been an ongoing process to come up with a formula they truly thrive on. Although some longer term success is finally occurring outside of range countries, I doubt they will ever be common under human care due to both the very small likely hood of more entering human care even assuming they manage to fully iron out their dietary needs, and because there is such a small founding population in captivity to begin with, and it has been fairly patchy breeding results within that small population.

That's a shame, I've always wanted to see a pangolin, and I was wondering why they're so rare in zoos. It sounds like another Sumatran rhino situation, they're critically endangered and close to extinction, but don't do very well in a captive environment so it's an uphill struggle.

 

[aardvark250]

The primary reason is simply that Pangolins don't do particularly well under human care. Although significant progress has been made in recent years, diet continues to be the primary issue in that regard. They don't acclimate very well to commercial diets unlike other similar insectivores (anteaters, echidna, aardvark, etc), and its been an ongoing process to come up with a formula they truly thrive on. Although some longer term success is finally occurring outside of range countries, I doubt they will ever be common under human care due to both the very small likely hood of more entering human care even assuming they manage to fully iron out their dietary needs, and because there is such a small founding population in captivity to begin with, and it has been fairly patchy breeding results within that small population.

Yeah Taipei have work a long time to manage to successfully kept and breed pangolins. From what I've know they develop the way it is now because they got so many rescue individuals to begin with.
But yeah i hope more work can be done and they can be keep in other environment as well.

 

[J I N X]

I did find a reference to "a zoo in Pakistan" keeping pangolins. Any info on which zoo or which species?

Lahore zoo has kept Indian pangolins in the past but never for any significant amount of time.