Stardust the pangolin orphan
Found clinging onto her dead mother, this tiny baby pangolin was named Stardust by her rescuers from ACRES for how lost and lonely she looked. Pangolin babies orphaned at such a young age — Stardust was estimated to be only 2 months of age when discovered — don’t often survive as they’re still dependent on their mother’s milk. In hopes of saving her life, though her mother was gone, her rescuers brought Stardust to our animal hospital.
Stardust's journey
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Getting used to bottlefeeding
Drawing on our previous experience in hand raising Sandshrew the pangolin, who was similarly orphaned at a tender age, our vets took on the 24/7 task of hand rearing Stardust. Some baby animals are known to take only milk from their mother’s breast so there was a real fear that Stardust would fail to thrive under human care. Thankfully, Stardust took well to bottle feeding and rapidly put on weight.
Learning life skills
In just a few weeks, the baby pangolin had our vet team wrapped around her little claw. To prepare her for release to the wild, her team of nannies took care not to handle her frequently to avoid getting her used to humans. Stardust was only handled briefly for her feeding and walk sessions. During these walks, Stardust explored the forested areas in our parks under the watchful eyes of her nannies and practise essential skills such as climbing.
The day of release
Our feisty girl had blossomed after months of handrearing and prep for life in the wild by our vet nannies. In line with the Sunda Pangolin National Conservation Strategy and Action Plan, we worked closely with NParks to select a suitable release site as well as implement post-release monitoring protocols: some of Stardust's scales were engraved with her microchip number and shiny bolts affixed to help researchers identify her easily on camera traps.
Supporting pangolin conservation
The Sunda pangolin is one of the few remaining mammalian species in Singapore. Urbanisation has resulted in the fragmentation of its forest habitat, with many pangolins ending up as roadkill. The Wildlife Reserves Conservation Fund (WRSCF) supports projects to understand the natural history, genetics and behaviour of this species, which will contribute to the formulation and implementation of effective conservation measures.
Understanding local pangolins with the use of tracking devices
Using VHF And GPS tracking devices, this study aimed to further the understanding of movement, home range and habitat selection of Sunda pangolins in Singapore.
Evaluate the use of trained dogs for conservation
This project aimed to evaluate if a trained dog team (trainer and dog) could provide an efficient tool for Environmental Impact Assessments of elusive species such as pangolins.
