Interesting numbers, but also a bit deceptive. The Cites trade database gives that in 2016 46 white-bellied tree pangolins where imported to the US from Togo. But I think to understand the full challenges of this import the CITES database also reports 17 (reported by importer) 22 (reported by exported) animals imported in 2015. 34 animals imported in 2014 and 8 in 2013. Which brings the total number of animals imported from Togo to the US to 105 (or 110) giving a mortality of 72%, which increases the responsibility of the zoos that decided to buy animals from this import.
Several US zoos receive pangolins
- Thread starter TheMightyOrca
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Before some younger reader jumps to the conclusion that survival of pangolins in zoos is not high.
There is no information what is lifespan or cub mortality of white-bellied pangolins in the wild, to compare with the zoo longevity. It is my understanding, too, that all were imported as already adult.
Average mammal weighing 2 kg (rabbit, bigger rodent or small carnivore) might be expected to naturally live few years only, and cub survival of 60% is average to better than expected.
There is no information what is lifespan or cub mortality of white-bellied pangolins in the wild, to compare with the zoo longevity. It is my understanding, too, that all were imported as already adult.
Average mammal weighing 2 kg (rabbit, bigger rodent or small carnivore) might be expected to naturally live few years only, and cub survival of 60% is average to better than expected.
Knowing that one of Leipzig's pangolins is 15 yers old and another 10 years old does give a good indication about possible longitivity even if these animals potentially are outliers. Another indication for the longitivity in the wild is the reproductive strategy and if pangolins would be short-lived their one young per birth would not be the most effective strategy. Even ignoring this a mortality of 72% in 5 years is extremely high taking into account the breeding success. We are not dealing with carnivorous marsupials or small rodents here.
YesTHATone
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It is also worth pointing out that inasmuch as these were wild-caught specimens, there would not have been any realistic understanding of their age upon capture. Thus, you can reasonably expect that the average age of the imported animals was the median age for the species in nature. Add to that, the most conservative of estimates state that one pangolin is poached in less than an hour, each day, 24/7-- and has been so for many years. The sum total of all the pangolins imported by the Pangolin Consortium, founded in 2016, would have been poached in less than two days.
Perhaps, but poachers do not operate under the set of moral standards that AZA-accredited zoos do, or claim to. To egregiously bring in animals with such a high mortality rate after multiple failed attempts (and no, the importing did not begin in 2016, just the fancy name did) is really against what the AZA preaches. Even the method used to collect the pangolins from the wild has the potential to make the problem worse in Togo itself. The process as a whole is a step in the right direction, but the methods that the “Pangolin Consortium” chose to use almost nullifies the end result.