Pepsi should have been safe in his mother’s care. Instead, he was about to be submerged in a jar of rice wine to become a novelty alcohol product in Asia.
It is horrific, that somewhere in the forests of Laos, this tiny pangolin’s life was torn apart by wildlife traffickers. Stolen from the wild and without the protection of his mother, Pepsi became another victim of the cruel, illegal wildlife trade.
At an age when infant pangolin Pepsi should have been with his mother, in the wild, he was about to be made into an alcoholic drink. No baby should have to endure that.
In Laos, infant pangolins are ripped from their mothers and drowned in rice wine, with the vile potion falsely believed to have medicinal value. Source: JITTRAPON KAICOME/The Telegraph
In Laos, a brutal and illegal practice sees infant pangolins stolen from the wild, killed, and their tiny bodies submerged in jars of rice wine. This is sold either as a novelty product or purchased by people who falsely believe the cruel concoction holds medicinal value, despite there being absolutely no scientific evidence to support this belief.
It is nearly impossible to believe that anyone could be so cruel as to rip a helpless, infant creature from its mother, let alone to drown the baby in alcohol. But that’s exactly what happened to little Pepsi, a critically endangered Sunda pangolin native to Southeast Asia.
For the pangolins of Asia, this heartbreaking story is all too common.
Fortunately for Pepsi, a good Samaritan stepped in as the killing was about to happen. The infant was rescued and then turned over to our partner, Laos Conservation Trust for Wildlife (LCTW), which cares for thousands of endangered animals every year.
Pepsi was saved at the very last moment by a good Samaritan who refused to look away. Now in safe hands, this tiny infant is finally getting the care he deserves. Source: LCTW
Terrified, dehydrated and desperately weak, infant pangolin Pepsi was another victim of humanity’s demand for wildlife products.
Pangolins stay with their mothers for three to four months. Pepsi was just a few weeks old when he was rescued. It was a miracle he was still alive, and touch-and-go whether he would survive.
These gentle, secretive animals are extremely fragile, and raising a baby without its mother is one of conservation’s greatest challenges.
Please donate today and give Pepsi a second chance at life. Every $500 raised covers the cost of vital milk formula for a month.
Pepsi needs round-the-clock care and feeding to grow strong enough to forage for the ants that pangolins live on. For several months, he will be given specialized milk formula and until he can begin the process of soft-release into a safe, protected wild area.
Pepsi’s recovery will take months of dedicated care. Source: LCTW
Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals on Earth, and are rapidly being driven towards extinction. Every individual saved, like Pepsi, presents hope for the entire species.
Millions of pangolins have been stolen from the wild for their scales, despite there being no scientific evidence that their scales have medicinal value. Entire populations have been devastated by poaching and trafficking.
That is why today, we must do everything in our power to help Pepsi survive and thrive, so he may one day be released into a monitored forest where he can live free and safe from poachers.
Please donate today.
