🌍 World Pangolin Day 2025 – A Fight for Survival
Today, on #WorldPangolinDay, we reflect on the tireless fight to save one of the world's most trafficked mammals. At the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital, we dedicate endless time, expertise, and financial resources to the rescue, medical treatment, rehabilitation, and release of poached pangolins. But our work doesn’t stop there. We are also deeply invested in ensuring justice is served by working closely with law enforcement to bring poachers and syndicates to account.
Despite a global rise in pangolin poaching, we recognize a significant milestone: in Gauteng Province, for the first time in six years, we have seen a noticeable decline in cases—a testament to the relentless efforts of SAPS law enforcement, GDARD conservation officers, the National Prosecution Authority, and the Judiciary. Their steadfast commitment to intercepting traffickers and securing stronger penalties is turning the tide in this ongoing battle.
However, the fight is far from over. Each pangolin we save comes with a tremendous financial cost, from round-the-clock veterinary care to covert law enforcement operations that dismantle trafficking networks. Your support enables us to continue this vital work—ensuring that future generations will not know pangolins only from history books.
💚 Stand with us. Donate today. Be part of the solution.
Please click on this link to help: https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/make-a-donation.html
#SaveThePangolins #WildlifeConservation #AntiPoaching #Collaboration #wildlifeplanet #WorldPangolinDay #helpinghands #bethechange #animals
Thank you EmerAidVet for helping our wild patients thrive
Veterinary healthcare teams are presented with difficult emergencies every day, and EmerAid is designed to provide nutrition for critical care to a wide variety of species. EmerAid is nutritionally designed to give each debilitated animal the best possible chance of recovery:
* EmerAid scientifically addresses the nutritional needs of each species.
* EmerAid has been developed to address a specific nutritional strategy and save the lives of debilitated animals.
* EmerAid also provides a high level of nutritional flexibility for the veterinary healthcare team. Each nutrient-dense, high-energy EmerAid formulation can be prepared at various levels of concentration, as determined by the needs of the patient.
* Each formulation can also be mixed with other EmerAid products or other appropriate foods.
* Cutting-edge science combined with the art of veterinary medicine results in the best possible patient outcomes.
We are very fortunate to have emeraid sponsored for our hospital, it makes a huge difference when it comes to the nutritional needs of all our patients.
In the video Dr K is feeding 3 nestling greater striped swallows.
#nutrition #bird #birdlovers #conservation #babybird #bethechange
Farewell to 2024!
As we say goodbye to 2024, we’re filled with gratitude for the incredible journey we’ve shared. This year has been one for the books—filled with challenges, triumphs, and, most importantly, hope.
In this special video, we’re celebrating the countless happy stories (and faces) made possible through the love and support of our community. To our supporters, thank you for believing in us and standing by our side. To our phenomenal staff and dedicated volunteers, you are the heart and soul of everything we do.
Here’s to all of you who’ve been a part of our journey this year—together, we’ve made a real difference. Wishing you a joyful and prosperous New Year filled with love and light.
Here’s to 2025 and everything it holds! 🥂✨
#animals #bethechange #bird #birdlovers #reptile #reptilelover #MakeADifference #conservation #freedom #2025
And the winner is…
Lydia Craemer!
Our two blesbuck calves (Faf and Mini) were tasked with choosing the winner. Faf mostly tried to eat the pieces of paper and Mini wandered off as she has the attention span of a gold fish…
Congratulations on winning our beautiful Christmas cake raffle!
Meet our tiny Spotted Thick-knee hatchling!
This little one may be small, but its needs are anything but insignificant. Growing birds like this Spotted Thick-knee require the right nutrition to ensure healthy development and a strong start to life.
In the wild, Spotted Thick-knees feed on a variety of insects, and we’ve worked hard to replicate their natural diet. Our little chick is currently munching on a mix of insects, enhanced wit EmerAid Carnivore (EmerAidVet) — a specialized, high-quality protein diet for carnivores and insectivores. By sprinkling EmerAid over the insects, it ensures the chick gets the perfect balance of nutrients it needs to grow strong and thrive.
With this tailored diet, we’re giving this young one the best chance to meet all its developmental milestones and, one day, spread its wings back in the wild where it belongs.
Every bird matters, no matter how small! And as you can see, he needs a bit of pointing in the right direction, just like his parents would do.
#makingadifference #bethechange #small
Scaly creatures take center stage
This week Dr K and Wendy are attending the 16th Conference of the Herpetological Association of Africa. A wonderful opportunity to keep the hospital up to date with all the new research presented by experts in both the reptile and the amphibian fields.
With herpetology on our minds we would like to share the story of Malcolm (named after Malcolm Marx, springbok rugby player), a young male Southern African python all the way from the Pilanesburg area. He was found in the middle of the road, with evidence of rib fractures and skull fractures. Andrew Jackson immediately sprang into super hero mode and organized an emergency helicopter flight. Pilot Karl Juncker flew the precious cargo to Rand airport where we could collect him.
He was immediately treated for shock and pain and he was placed in a temperature controlled environment. He sustained serious head injuries and had a pronounced head tilt and obvious neurological issues. We were very worried and his prognosis was poor.
But…
With all the prompt and expert care, Malcolm has made a full recovery and he will be released back into the same area where he originated from.
Thank you to everyone who jumped into action for this tiny (for now) snake and making these life saving decisions.
Help us help them.
To donate to our cause, please click on either of these links:
Payfast: https://www.payfast.co.za/donate/go/shop.johannesburgwildlifevet.com
Or
PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=1VAMs1ALprVCh8rTHmn-gRLlHQlIj5ToSf7SOJ7bfLJLUrxmR8VU43V7SzlZ9BKyvSsLFEpRkJDepzXS
Herpetological Association of Africa
Andrew Jackson
Karl Juncker
Tiny patient with a big appetite.
One of our current patients is a fledgeling amethyst sunbird. These little birds grow to an adult weight of around 15g (the equivalent of 3 teaspoons of water!).
They have insanely fast metabolisms and need feeding almost every 30 mins when young.
Hotel de JWVH is happy to oblige and we cater for any and all appetites. In this case they mainly eat insects when nestlings, and later on start eating nectar as well.
Our little one is old enough to feed himself (sort of) and he is fed a mixture of EmerAidVet carnivore (a specialist carnivore diet high in easily digestible proteins, fats etc) and fruit purity (to simulate the nectar bit).
As you can see he LOVES his mix! Make sure you watch for his long tongue darting in and out to slurp up all the yummy things.
A flash of light in the dark world of wildlife trade.
An incorrect media statement published by the DPCI on Tuesday the 1st of October wrongly claimed the arrests of poachers and the rescue of a pangolin by a multi law enforcement task team. The facts are very different!
On Sunday 29 September, a speedy response from a small team of just 4 people (our own operations lead Wendy Willson, Sandton SPCA Inspector Ronald Ramalata and just two officers from the Johannesburg SAPS K9 Unit) resulted in the sucsessful rescue of Peggy the pangolin and the efficient tracing and arrest of the two Botswana nationals who had smuggled her over the border to sell her. This team of 4 had carried out the entire operation on their own and in just a couple of hours!
The sweet little pangolin was rushed straight to our hospital and treated for shock and dehydration. A full panel of blood tests and a CT scan a few days later confirmed that Peggy had made a full recovery, partly due to her speedy rescue and she was cleared to start her soft release.
Once again Menno Parsons stepped in and offered to fly Dr K, Peggy and her carer, Donald Davis, to her release site at no cost.
The skilled Master Power Technologies pilots, Willie and Martin, touched down with their precious cargo on Thursday morning and Peggy took her first deep breaths of freedom once again!
A huge thank you to the actual heroes of this rescue mentioned above who never ever fail to heed the call to animal action.
Sandton SPCA
Master Power Technologies
Mandela Day with a difference!
For Mandela day, we have a very urgent appeal.
We desperately need you to do 67 minutes of …
well nothing really!
We would like our friends, followers and supporters to forgo the hype and spend 67 minutes outside today, appreciating our country’s stunning fauna and flora heritage.
Whether you live in bush, suburbia or a rural village, take a moment to watch our urban birds in the trees or appreciate a wild creature that may cross your path. We are so very fortunate to still be able to share our daily lives with some very unique wild creatures in South Africa. We often forget how lucky we are living in a country with such diversity of wildlife, where we can see anything from a dove, a gecko, a mongoose or even pangolins and elephants.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela had a very real respect for nature and we ask that you take a photo and share your nature moment in our comments.
Video is of Harley, a mature male pangolin that was released recently.
Myth busters: The instincts within...
Our post tonight is about busting one of the most common myths and misconceptions surrounding the rehabilitation and release of carnivorous wildlife raised by hand.
Myth: Carnivorous animals and birds of prey must be fed live prey animals to learn how to hunt.
Busted: There are a myriad of facts that debunk this myth but let's use a practical example. These 5 barn owl chicks arrived on 9 December 2023, and our team, well-versed in the needs of owlets, started them on a diet of small dead prey items. Despite the widespread belief that young predators need to practice on live prey to learn how to hunt, our team knew better. We understand that hunting is an instinctual behavior, hardwired into these magnificent birds, and our job is to ensure optimum health and fitness.
When the time came, all of the owls were ringed for easy identification and then moved to a soft-release enclosure in Muldersdrift. Here Kevin Solomon and Riva Harti fed them in their enclosure while they acclimatized to their new environment - such as the way of the weather, the new sights and sounds and the different types of animal neighbors. It wasn’t long before the enclosure door could be opened and the young owls could start to explore their new home.
During a soft release process, the enclosure remains open and food is still provided every evening, until the owls become self sufficient.
The owls thrived, and today, 6 months later, they are still seen around the area, proving that their hunting skills were innate, not taught through live feeding.
Kevin and Riva still put out the odd food item, and their awesome cameras have picked up these same owls coming past for the occasional snack.
In South Africa, our law in terms of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, prohibits the feeding of live animals to other animals, prioritizing humane and ethical treatment of all creatures.
Share the joy!
Last year we introduced you to three teeny serval kittens - their eyes were still closed when they arrived! (We have shared a few of their early photos in the comments section)
Today we share with you the joy of their release! As soon as the door opened, they immediately started hunting and playing in the long grass. There is no denying the sheer joy they are experiencing!
Most people think that wild cats (and other predators) need to be taught how to hunt, and has to be fed live prey for this.
This is simply not true!
Their wild instincts are all they need, and we as care takers just need to know how to imitate what happens in the wild. The correct soft release process is essential, and undoubtedly successful if done by experts.
As for the live prey question again: take the average pet cat, they have been domesticated for thousands of years, yet they know how to hunt instinctively. No one had to teach them…
This video was taken almost three months ago and all three of the serval are still observed and they are all thriving.
This is what successful wildlife rehabilitation is all about.
Please remember that we are a non profit organization and we would love your assistance.
Click on this link to help us help them:
https://www.johannesburgwildlifevet.com/make-a-donation.html
Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital NPC is a dedicated wildlife ONLY veterinary hospital and rehabilitation center in Johannesburg HOW ARE WE FUNDED?
