[imagesource: YouTube / Latest Sightings]

Pangolins are the most trafficked animals in the world.

In fact, odds are that before you finish watching the videos below, a pangolin will be poached from the wild, and its scales likely advertised for sale online.

We promised you some Friday fun, though, so let’s focus on something you might not expect from these endangered rarities.

Manyoni Private Game Reserve, nestled in the heart of Zululand, is doing some fantastic rehabilitation work when it comes to pangolins.

They recently shared the video below, and the story of Dithlong (nicknamed Ditsi), a Temminck’s pangolin, with Latest Sightings:

She was rescued from the illegal wildlife trade during a sting operation led by law enforcement officers. This helpless pangolin was taken by illegal traffickers in the North-Western province of South Africa in 2021. Thankfully at Manyoni, she is recovering well and enjoys her refreshing afternoon swims.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find an animal that enjoys a refreshing swim more than Ditsi.

Look at her go:

Manyoni deserves a great deal of credit, as does the team at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital:

When a pangolin arrives, the dedicated team nurses the injured and sick pangolins back to health. When they are strong enough, the rehabilitated pangolins are taken to a suitable reserve where the “soft release” process begins. Here they are given the opportunity to be released back into the wild.

Ditsi the swimming pangolin, is currently being supervised by the Zululand Conservation Trust. When she is released back into the wild she will be monitored by the team. This will help them gain a better understanding of her behaviour which will assist with future conservation efforts.

The entire process is overseen by the African Pangolin Working Group. You can find details on donating to the cause here.

To finish, here’s Stevie the piggyback-loving pangolin and more on the hard work done at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital:

[source:latestsightings]