Page 8 - Gateways_2019-Fall

News Bites continued

Reproducing Results

WELFARE Last summer, the Chicago Zoological

Society made big news by hosting the
first International Symposium on Pangolin
Care and Conservation, bringing together more than
50 individuals directly involved in the care and study of
pangolins, the world’s most trafficked mammal.
One of the big items of discussion was pangolin
reproduction—much was unknown about how this species
reproduces, which is a crucial step toward helping them
thrive under professionally managed care.

Dr. Jennifer Langan, senior staff veterinarian, and
Dr. Eric Hostnik from The Ohio State University (above).

A pangolin (left) receives an ultrasound at Brookfield Zoo.

But for the past year, Society veterinarians have been
working on finding the answer to this question, and
have made some exciting progress. Dr. Copper Aitken-
Palmer has used health monitoring, hormonal data,
and monthly ultrasound examinations to determine
gestation length (8 months), reproductive patterns
with regards to seasons, and presentation of infants at
delivery (head or tail first).

Dr. Aitken-Palmer has also been working with
Dr. Jennifer Langan, senior staff veterinarian, and
Dr. Eric Hostnik from The Ohio State University, to track
fetal health in pregnant pangolins. Pregnant females
are ultrasounded monthly to evaluate the growth and
development of the fetus up until delivery. As with
human ultrasound, fetal head and long bone growth,
organ development, heart rate, sex determination, and
fetal position are all examined over time to determine
normal parameters for this species.

This is crucial information that can be used to improve
reproductive success of pangolins, an important step
toward helping to save this species.

8 GATEWAYS | NEWS BITES