Taiwan Today

Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, mainly rely on ants and termites for food. Their eating habits are quite different from the other animals, says Taipei City Zoo spokesman Chin Shih-chien. Because it can be difficult for them to find food in their natural habitat, pangolins can stay in a state of partial starvation for long periods of time. If they are raised in a controlled environment, pangolins often eat foods that do not agree with them or succumb to digestive ulcers, which can lead to death. As a result, pangolins have a low rate of survival in captivity. Therefore, zoos throughout the world have largely given up having pangolins due to problems associated with finding the right foods for them. Taiwan has a high level of development in low-altitude areas. Wild pangolins have been hit by vehicles as they cross roads or injured in attacks by wild dogs. The injured pangolins are sent to the Taipei City Zoo to have their wounds treated and their health looked after. Given their frequent contact with the mammal, veterinarians at the zoo developed a unique diet for the animals that has been quite successful in helping them to survive. Chin says that the so-called "Pangolin Diet" is based on the nutritional composition of ants and consists of a mixture of proteins, the addition of various nutrients, as well as dietary fiber. The pangolins are fed on the diet in a rational manner to extend their livespans. The Taipei Zoo has exchanged this recipe and their technology in taking care of pangolins with the Leipzig Zoo in Germany. Chin says that the scales and tails of pangolins are frequently smuggled throughout Southeast Asia because they are widely believed to be effective in treating bruises, clearing mammary glands and boosting sexual stamina. The zoo's recipe for feeding the pangolins therefore is sought after by many of these smugglers so that they can use it to raise large numbers of the animals in captivity. The zoo strictly forbids this, however, and it has taken measures to make sure that the recipe does not get into the hands of unscrupulous people.