Utilizing dietary methods and successful husbandry techniques to maintain a thriving pair of white-bellied tree pangolins (Manis tricuspis)
R. Cisneros Animal Care Supervisor San Diego Zoological Society California , USA
For many zoos, the white-bellied tree pangolin or African tree pangolin (Manis tricuspis) remains an enigmatic species. Current literature reports that 70 percent of pangolins do not survive their first year of captivity. Mortality has been attributed to malnutrition and parasite issues. Historically, institutions which have acquired specimens through confiscations or from sanctuaries have encountered great difficulty in transitioning this sensitive species from its natural diet of ants and termites to a more accessible zoo-based diet designed for insectivores. Available dietary information from institutions working with the Asiatic species has not translated well; successful management of Manis tricuspis continues to be challenging. In June 2007, the San Diego Zoo received several white-bellied tree pangolins in collaboration with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Seven months after their initial quarantine, only two pangolins remained. The female quickly transitioned to the zoo diet, but the male was not successful during transition and required intervention via twice-daily tube-feeding. Following their transfer to the San Diego Zoo’ Children’s Zoo, the male white-bellied tree pangolin was successfully transitioned from receiving mandatory gavage feedings to independently eating a specialized insectivore diet. Although the diet content differed from the female’s diet, it was the starting point for a conversion to a diet almost identical with the exception of a “marker” that enabled the male to identify which food bowl was his. This invaluable method provided important information regarding individual health and growth. Daily weights, consumption measurements, and the pangolins’ overall health support the success of this feeding strategy. Today, the population of two white-bellied tree pangolins continues to thrive at the San Diego Zoo.
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