Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Thursday 21 June 2018
In South Africa, plans for a refuge for pangolins in peril

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA search and medical center it's all a work in progress,"
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — for pangolins, including the said Nicci Wright, a wildlife
Monitored by a conserva- growing number of live ani- rehabilitation specialist and
tionist, a young pangolin mals seized in sting opera- a consultant to the African
slurped ants with a long tions, he said. branch of the Humane So-
tongue near a veterinary Pangolin scales contain ciety International, an ani-
hospital that became a keratin, a protein also mal protection group.
temporary home after the found in rhino horn and One pangolin that was
animal was found near the human fingernails. There confiscated in Johannes-
body of its mother, killed is no scientific proof that burg after being brought
by a jolt from an electric they provide any medicinal from Zimbabwe had been
fence. The six-month-old value. Conservationists say doused in bleach, appar-
scaly anteater foraged well over 1 million pangolins ently to disguise its strong
on a hillside, building up have been poached since natural smell at the border,
strength in a tiny step for around 2000; the various Wright said. Another was
a campaign to save one kinds range from vulnerable covered in pig manure for
of the world's most heavily to critically endangered on the same reason. In a differ-
trafficked mammals. In this photo taken on Friday March 16, 2018 a pangolin from the a list of threatened species. ent case, Wright said, a res-
Traffickers often sell the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital forages for food, near Eight rescued pangolins cued pangolin was "abso-
pangolin meat locally and Johannesburg. Associated Press have been treated at the lutely pitch black" because
ship the scales for use in tra- Johannesburg Wildlife Vet- it had been drenched in
ditional medicine in Asia, cording to experts. While itz, director of a South Afri- erinary Hospital since last fuel while being clandes-
mainly China. The growing commercial trade in all can foundation. year, though about half tinely transported by car.
illegal industry has prompt- eight species is forbidden, The Ichikowitz Family Foun- died because their health There are currently about
ed plans in South Africa international confiscations dation , which has previ- had deteriorated while 30 pangolin trafficking
for a rehabilitation center of African pangolin scales ously trained dogs to de- they were being transport- cases in the South African
for sick or rescued pango- amounted to about 47 tons tect rhino horn, has funded ed by traffickers. The young courts, a sharp increase
lins as well as the deploy- in 2017, more than double the training of several dogs female pangolin found from previous years. Con-
ment of sniffer dogs spe- the quantity seized in the that will check for hidden near the body of its mother servationists are encour-
cially trained to detect the previous year, said the Af- pangolin scales at South was later released into the aged by several jail sen-
scales' pungent aroma. rican Pangolin Working African borders, Ichikowitz wild but weakened and tences — the first ever —
Africa's four species of pan- Group , a conservation or- said. died from pneumonia. for pangolin poachers and
golins are under increas- ganization based in South The foundation has also "There's so little known traders in South Africa start-
ing pressure from poachers Africa. acquired land near Johan- about pangolins — their dis- ing last year. The punish-
because Asia's four species "The rate of escalation is as- nesburg for construction eases, their parasites and ments range from three to
have been decimated, ac- tounding," said Eric Ichikow- of a "pangalorium" — a re- what affects them — that seven years in prison.q

4 new mountain lion kittens

found in California mountains

wildlife officials announced of Los Angeles. them to keep track of their
in video posts Tuesday Researchers have added movements as they grow
showing the blue-eyed the four kittens to their up.
babies meowing and ongoing study of mountain It's the 15th den the
one feisty one hissing and lions in the area. Their researchers have marked
even taking a swipe at the mother is a mountain lion as part of their study of
person filming her. researchers have been mountain lions in the region.
The four female kittens tracking since January. Biologists have been
This June 11, 2018 photo provided by the National Park Service are about 5½ weeks old Researchers visited the studying the cougars to
shows a mountain lion kitten identified as P-68. and are the first litter that kittens while their mother determine how they survive
Associated Press
has been found in the was away last week, taking in fragmented wilderness
By AMANDA LEE MYERS found by researchers Simi Hills, a small area of tissue samples, conducting amid metropolitan sprawl.
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. studying the wild cats living habitat between the Santa a general health check Each member of the
(AP) — Four new mountain in Southern California's Monica and Santa Susana and marking them with species, especially males,
lion kittens have been Santa Monica Mountains, mountain ranges just north ear tags, which will allow requires a very large home
territory, and young cats
face difficulties dispersing.
Jeff Sikich, biologist for
Santa Monica Mountains
National Recreation Area,
said the spot where the
kittens were found in the
Simi Hills is "a critical habitat
linkage between the Santa
Monica Mountains and
larger natural areas to the
north."q