Foraging Behaviour of the Cape Pangolin

Acknowledgements

All of the information and data collected in this research was provided by Jonathan Michael Swart. Jonathan has been working in the Sabi Sands for 18 years where he started as a ranger at Inyati Game Lodge as an undergraduate (studying his Bachelor of Science). He is currently the Ecologist for the area and has since completed his Master of Science (MSC) and is in the process of obtaining his PhD. The rangers at Exeter Private Game Reserve would like to thank and commend him for his dedication and willingness to share.

Objective

A total of fifteen Pangolins were tagged with radio transmitters and their activity, diet, foraging behaviour and habitat selection were studied over a 14 month period in the Sabi Sands Wildtuin. The composition, diversity, and activity of epigaeic ants and termites were also studied concurrently with the Pangolins Foraging behaviour.

Habitat

All study animals exhibited a relatively high degree of habitat selectivity. The grassland savanna clearings, mixed tree savanna and calc brack thicket habitat types were favoured and selected in preference to other habitat types that may have included feeding in Marula\Combretum and Riverine Thicket habitats. Interestingly, although calc brack thicket habitat was only represented by a mere 3% of the study area, 42% of the feeding bouts of three Pangolins were in this area. Pangolins foraged mainly on structured soils of the Hill Slopes. During the winter months, feeding bouts were evenly distributed between the upper slopes and footslopes of hills, whereas during summer a larger proportion was recorded on the footslopes.

Foraging Behaviour

The grassland savanna cleared habitat type had the highest overall species diversity and appeared to be the ideal habitat type for Ants. The overall diversity and activity of ants and termites was greater in summer than in winter for all habitats. Fifteen Ant species and five termite species were recorded in the Pangolins diet. The pangolins diet compromised 96.7% of ants and only 3.3% were termites. Six species of Ants constituted 97.7% of their ant diet with A. custodiens being the preferred species. Amazingly, only 15% of the Pangolins foraging time was spent feeding. Feeding bouts averaged about 40 seconds and 99% of the feeding time was spent on prey below the soil surface. The other 1% comprised of the soil surface, animal dung and dead twigs. Diggings averaged 3.8cm (deep) and ant or termite species that were preyed on from deeper digs were preyed on for longer and vice versa.

Activity Observations

Sub-adult Pangolins left their dens earlier than adult and Pangolins remained active for only (approximately) four hours a night. There was no significant difference between their winter and summer activity period. Pangolins preferred temperature range of activity was from 11 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius and temperature appeared to affect their activity only during winter. It was found that during the months where their feeding intensity was lower, they were active for longer and vice versa.

Interesting Information

•  Pangolins are nocturnal and partially diurnal animals.

•  Pangolins are able to inflict damage to predators by rolling tightly into a ball and rubbing the scales against each other in a slicing motion.

•  In East Africa, Pangolins are known as Bwana Mganga which means ‘Mr. Doctor' as all body parts have medicinal properties.

•  Pangolins have a 25cm long tongue that is rod shaped with a mucous covering and is attached just above the genitals.

•  Pangolins have no teeth but swallow sand while they eat to help grind up ants and termites.

•  They walk around on their back legs, using the tails for balance. During fights they rear up onto their back legs and swipe with their front paws and tails

Posted: Mammals by Wildwatch Editor, Date: 5 June 2007