Rare 5kg Javan pangolin 'lost' in An Lac ward, caught by locals and handed over to forest rangers

Discovering a pangolin walking on the side of the road in An Lac ward (HCMC), Mr. Ta Thien Thai and his relatives captured it and handed it over to the forest rangers, hoping that the rare animal would be released back into the wild.

Forest rangers receive Java pangolins to take care of, raise and handle according to regulations - Photo: NGOC KHAI

On the afternoon of October 27, the Ho Chi Minh City Forest Protection Department received, according to regulations, a Javan pangolin (weighing about 5kg) voluntarily handed over by Mr. Ta Thien Thai (in An Lac ward).

Mr. Ta Thien Thai said that at around 11pm, he was in front of his house when he discovered a strange animal crawling on the side of the road.

His relatives thought it might be a pangolin, a rare animal. After looking up more information online, he confirmed it was indeed a pangolin.

At this time, he and his relatives captured the animal and then contacted the forestry department to hand it over. "I know that pangolins are rare animals, and I was afraid that people would catch them and eat them, so I kept them, hoping they would be released back into the wild," Mr. Thai shared.

Upon receiving the pangolin, taking it in for care, raising, and handling it according to regulations, a forest ranger from the Ho Chi Minh City Forest Protection Department identified it as a Javan pangolin, with the scientific name Manis javanica .

The above Javan pangolin is male, weighs about 5kg, belongs to group IB in the list of endangered, precious, and rare species according to Circular 27/2025/TT-BNNMT of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment .

The Javan pangolin weighing about 5kg that Mr. Ta Thien Thai voluntarily handed over to the forest rangers - Photo: NGOC KHAI

NGOC KHAI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/te-te-java-quy-hiem-5kg-di-lac-o-phuong-an-lac-nguoi-dan-bat-lai-giao-kiem-lam-20251027172625123.htm