Pangolins are the world's most trafficked mammal, and individuals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade require specialized sanctuary care that addresses both physical injuries and psychological trauma.
Pangolin welfare after rescue from trafficking represents one of the most demanding challenges in wildlife rehabilitation. The extreme stress of trafficking conditions, including confinement in bags or boxes with other pangolins, dehydration, and starvation, means rescued animals arrive in severely compromised physiological and psychological states. Pangolins in captivity have very high mortality rates because their specialized diet and extreme sensitivity to stress make captive management enormously difficult. The welfare of rescued pangolins at sanctuaries requires understanding that for some individuals, aggressive veterinary intervention may cause more harm than palliative supportive care. The most welfare-positive long-term intervention is preventing trafficking through enforcement, demand reduction in consumer markets, and protection of wild populations.