Scales Pangolin Rescue Fund

Scales Pangolin Rescue Fund Funding the rehabilitation & release of Temminck's Pangolins rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.

Not every operation ends the way we hope. 🥐🖤Our partners responded to intelligence and were met with the devastating sig...
27/05/2026

Not every operation ends the way we hope. 🥐🖤

Our partners responded to intelligence and were met with the devastating sight of two dead pangolins. It’s a heartbreaking reminder of how brutal the illegal wildlife trade can be. These gentle animals did not deserve to lose their lives for greed and exploitation.

While we mourn their loss, there is a small measure of justice: the poacher was caught and arrested on the scene. By removing both the animals and the perpetrator from the trade, this operation still dealt a blow to wildlife crime, even if it came at a painful cost.

Moments like this are never easy. They fuel our determination to keep fighting harder, to save more lives, and to one day see an end to this cruel trade. Every pangolin matters, and every arrest brings us one step closer to a safer future for them.

Our thoughts are with the team who had to face this difficult scene, and everyone involved for their continued commitment despite days like this.

ALL PANGOLINS ARE HOUSED AND TREATED OFF-SITE AT UNDISCLOSED SECURE LOCATIONS.

Limpopo Pangolin Collective Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre Hoedspruit Animal Hospital - ProVet

Did You Know? 🥐Temminck’s pangolins are mostly nocturnal, but during the cooler winter months in South Africa they often...
23/05/2026

Did You Know? 🥐

Temminck’s pangolins are mostly nocturnal, but during the cooler winter months in South Africa they often become active during the day (or at dawn and dusk). The lower temperatures make it more comfortable for them to forage, so they shift their schedule and come out earlier.

Unfortunately, this change in behaviour makes them more vulnerable to poaching during winter. The bush is drier, thinner, and “crunchier”, which means pangolins are easier to spot when they’re moving around in daylight. This is one of the main reasons we see a clear peak in poaching and confiscation cases during the winter months.

🌈 Who’s ready to get colourful for conservation?We’re super excited to invite you to the Rainbow Rush Challenge – a fun,...
22/05/2026

🌈 Who’s ready to get colourful for conservation?
We’re super excited to invite you to the Rainbow Rush Challenge – a fun, messy, and unforgettable colour run style obstacle course happening right here in Hoedspruit!

On Saturday, 13th June 2026, join us at The Thirsty Giraffe Grillhouse and WineBar, Hoedspruit for a day of music, colour explosions, laughter, and good vibes. Dash, dance, or stroll through clouds of colour while raising vital funds for conservation — including our Scales Pangolin Rescue Fund.

Every colourful step you take helps us rescue, rehabilitate, and release more pangolins, and supports other important conservation projects across the region.
Whether you come as a solo runner, with friends, family, or your work crew — this is going to be a blast!

Come dressed in white (or clothes you don’t mind getting colourful!) and prepare to leave covered in rainbows!

Local Hoedspruit friends, this is your chance to have fun while making a real difference for pangolins and our local wildlife.

Tickets and more info available here 👉 www.scales.org.za/event-details/rainbow-rush-challenge-2026

Let’s paint the town rainbow for conservation! 🌈🐾

Kuru’s Tough Road to Recovery 🥐Kuru is the tiny 4kg male rescued during last month’s triple sting operation.ALL PANGOLIN...
19/05/2026

Kuru’s Tough Road to Recovery 🥐

Kuru is the tiny 4kg male rescued during last month’s triple sting operation.

ALL PANGOLINS ARE HOUSED AND TREATED OFF-SITE AT UNDISCLOSED SECURE LOCATIONS.

He arrived in very poor condition: severely emaciated, dehydrated, with biliary issues, wounds under his scales, and serious injuries to his front right arm and nails. It’s already been a long and difficult battle for this little fighter.

But we’re so pleased to share that Kuru is finally starting to turn a corner. He is healing, eating well on his own, and growing stronger with each passing day.

It’s still going to be a long journey with challenges ahead, but the team at is standing by him every step of the way, giving him the very best care and the strongest possible chance at full recovery and eventual release.

Kuru has already shown incredible resilience, we’re rooting for this brave little guy with everything we’ve got.

Thank you to everyone working so hard on his care, and to all of you for your continued support. Every bit of love and encouragement helps these pangolins fight.

Hoedspruit Animal Hospital - ProVet Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre Limpopo Pangolin Collective

Pangolin Trivia Answer! 🥐How many pups does a female Temminck’s pangolin typically produce per year?Usually just one pup...
17/05/2026

Pangolin Trivia Answer! 🥐

How many pups does a female Temminck’s pangolin typically produce per year?
Usually just one pup every 1–2 years

Female Temminck’s pangolins give birth to a single pup after a gestation of about 105–140 days. Because of their slow reproductive cycle, they generally only produce one offspring every one to two years.

This very low reproductive rate makes it extremely difficult for pangolin populations to recover once they are hit hard by poaching, which is why every life counts.

15/05/2026

Remembering the Rescued: Tilly 🥐

On this Endangered Species Day, we’re looking back at one of our success stories, Tilly.

In October 2022, Tilly was rescued during a sting operation in Phalaborwa, Limpopo. She had been held in captivity for some time and arrived at Hoedspruit Animal Hospital - ProVet in poor condition: skinny, severely dehydrated, and badly constipated. She weighed just 7.66 kg and needed intensive care, fluids, and careful monitoring for days before she was stable enough to move to Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre for rehabilitation.

Despite everything she had been through, Tilly turned out to be the ideal patient. She settled quickly, took to her nightly foraging walks with enthusiasm, and started regaining weight at a healthy pace. Just three weeks later she was strong enough to begin her soft release.

She adapted beautifully in her new wild home, feeding well, exploring her new territory, and showing all the signs of a pangolin ready to live free. Not long after, her tracking tags were removed, and Tilly became completely, wonderfully wild again. Watch this lovely moment of Tilly heading back into the bush after her tracking tags were removed.

On Endangered Species Day, we celebrate Tilly and all the pangolins who have been given a second chance at life in the wild. Stories like hers keep us hopeful.
Thank you to Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre, Hoedspruit Animal Hospital, Limpopo Pangolin Collective, and every member of the team who help pangolins find her way home.

ALL PANGOLINS ARE HOUSED AND TREATED OFF-SITE AT UNDISCLOSED SECURE LOCATIONS.

Happy Endangered Species Day! 🥐🌍Today we celebrate Endangered Species Day and all the incredible wildlife fighting for s...
15/05/2026

Happy Endangered Species Day! 🥐🌍

Today we celebrate Endangered Species Day and all the incredible wildlife fighting for survival across the planet.

While this year’s official theme highlights America’s wildlife comeback stories and the power of the Endangered Species Act, here at Scales Pangolin Rescue Fund we’re reminded daily of the quiet resilience of one of the world’s most endangered mammals, the Temminck’s pangolin.

From tiny, traumatised rescues arriving covered in oil, burns, dehydration, and snare wounds… to watching them regain their strength, return to the wild, establish territories, and even raise pups, every successful release is a powerful comeback story.

These ancient, scaly survivors have been on Earth for over 80 million years, yet they now face extinction largely because of illegal trade and habitat pressures. Their future depends on rescue, rehabilitation, strong anti-poaching efforts, and people who refuse to let them disappear.

Today we honour every pangolin that has been given a second chance, and we say thank you to our dedicated partners and to you, our incredible community, for standing with us.

Every rescue matters. Every voice matters. Every donation and share helps write more comeback stories for these gentle creatures.

Here’s to more pangolins walking free in the wild, where they belong.

Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre Hoedspruit Animal Hospital - ProVet Limpopo Pangolin Collective

Pangolin Trivia Time! 🥐How many pups does a female Temminck’s pangolin typically produce annually?Drop your guess below!...
13/05/2026

Pangolin Trivia Time! 🥐

How many pups does a female Temminck’s pangolin typically produce annually?

Drop your guess below! Answer coming on Sunday 👇

11/05/2026

Pingu has us well trained! 🥐😂
Sharing this hilarious clip from Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre, when your pangolin is awake, you drop everything and go walking!

As they say, working with pangolins turns you into their servant. These little ones don’t eat from bowls, so every single night (or day) the team takes them out for hours of natural foraging so they can get the nutrition they need.

Pingu clearly knows she has the team wrapped around her little claws!

ALL PANGOLINS ARE HOUSED AND TREATED OFF-SITE AT UNDISCLOSED SECURE LOCATIONS.

Huge respect to the rehab team for their endless dedication — rain, cold, heat, or tired legs, they show up for these special animals every single day.

Myth vs. Fact 🥐 ❌ Myth: Pangolins only use their scales for protection and are otherwise defenceless.✅ Fact: A Temminck’...
05/05/2026

Myth vs. Fact 🥐

❌ Myth: Pangolins only use their scales for protection and are otherwise defenceless.

✅ Fact: A Temminck’s pangolin’s tail is a powerful weapon.
When threatened, they can swing their heavily muscled, scale-covered tail with surprising force. The sharp, keratin edges of the scales can cause deep lacerations, strong enough to deter or injure predators like leopards, lions, or hyenas.

This “whip-like” tail defence, combined with their ability to roll into a tight ball, makes them much tougher than they appear against natural predators. It’s yet another incredible adaptation that has helped these ancient animals survive for millions of years.

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