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Pangolin at risk of extinction, experts warn

Discussion in 'Wildlife & Nature Conservation' started by Simon Hampel, 3 Jul 2019.

  1. Simon Hampel

    Simon Hampel Administrator Staff Member 20+ year member

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    ABC 7:30 Report (Australia): Pangolin at risk of extinction, experts warn

    (Includes video)

    Transcript:

    LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: The pangolin may not be one of the world's best known animals, but the little scaly skinned ant-eater is well-known to people fighting the wildlife black market.

    It is trafficked throughout Asia and Africa for its meat and its scales and it is at risk of extinction.

    Our producer, Gus Goswell, met one Australian vet joining the urgent global fight to save the animal.

    LEANNE WICKER, ZOOS VICTORIA SENIOR VET: Pangolins are really beautiful, they're really charismatic.

    They are a little scaly ant-eater. They have an armour of scales over their backs, down their legs and along their tail and their bellies are soft and warm.

    They don't have teeth, they just have a really long tongue.

    My name is Leanne Wicker and I am the senior veterinarian here in the Australian Wildlife Health Centre at Healesville Sanctuary.

    Here at Zoos Victoria, we have quite a few threatened species programs and I think that is really exciting, working, using our skills for conservation.

    ... read more