Archie started out in life with significant trauma and loss, but today, he is thriving thanks to the unwavering care provided to him in his recovery.
Undisclosed Location (17 July 2024) — The Umoya Khulula Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre has shared a heartwarming video of Archie the Pangolin, rescued from poachers who gravely injured his mother. Today, he is living life in a protected space, growing up well, and loving his snacks.
The start of Archie’s life was one filled with trauma. His mother, Sarabi, was picked up by poachers when Archie was just days old. She had curled her body around him to protect him. The poachers used a shovel to try to unfurl her and gave her a painful head wound.
When Sarabi was finally rescued during a sting operation, it became clear that the injury was a fatal one. She simply couldn’t recover, and as she grew weaker, concerns for Archie were expressed. He was 6-weeks old when he was orphaned. This meant the vets needed to intervene to keep him alive.
Slowly, they helped him gain weight, and once he was strong enough and old enough, he was released to an undisclosed location under the watchful eye of the Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre.
Today, he appears to be thriving; one would almost forget his traumatic past as they watched him enjoy his lunch. His story is like so many other pangolin rescue stories. Seeing them thrive warms the heart but the reality is they have endured so much to get to a point where we can celebrate their progress.
The Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre is a non-profit rehabilitation centre for native South African Wildlife. It is one of several organisations working to protect pangolins, and its work is essential to saving the species.
Take a look at Archie’s sweet video below.