Baby on board!

The Laos vet team recently got a tiny, scaly surprise.

“Oh my god! She has a baby!” veterinarian Meng exclaimed, as the team gathered around the ultrasound screen.

The Sunda pangolin we rescued in March is pregnant with a pangopup!

Pangolins are critically endangered, and are the most trafficked animal in the world, so every individual counts when it comes to conserving this precious species.

Watch the moment the team discovered the tiny pup.

This sweet pangolin had an extraordinary rescue, narrowly escaping the illegal wildlife trade thanks to a brave tourist.

She was hidden inside a cardboard box in the back of a tour van in Laos.

The tourist, Jon, noticed something wasn’t right when the tour driver pulled over mid-journey to collect the box — sealed, with breathing holes punched into the sides — and placed it under the seat in front of Jon.

Curious, Jon discreetly opened it to peek inside when the tour driver wasn’t looking.
Inside he saw the pangolin, curled tightly, trapped in a net.

Knowing she was being trafficked, he immediately contacted Free the Bears, sharing photos, video, and his location as the van continued its journey.

Within minutes the message spread across our organisation – and the Laos rescue team mobilised alongside local authorities to track the vehicle and intercept it before it could reach its destination.

As the van arrived in Luang Prabang, officers blockaded the road and confiscated the pangolin, preventing her from entering the illegal wildlife trade.

She was brought straight into our care, where the team worked late into the night to stabilise her and ensure she was safe.

Pangolins are fragile animals, incredibly sensitive to stress. Every rescue is delicate.

So when the veterinary team later conducted a full health check after she had recovered from her ordeal, no one was expecting to find a tiny heartbeat on the ultrasound. 

Thanks to Jon’s brave actions not one, but two pangolins have been saved.

Next stop: Protected forest, so this precious girl can have her baby in the wild, where they belong.

Stay tuned for updates on her release.

Our Night in a Cage fundraiser is now on to help us raise funds for rescues just like these!

Donate today  to help us save animals from the illegal wildlife trade.