Pangolin Experience

The Manyoni Private Game Reserve works closely with the African Pangolin Working Group and Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital in rehabilitating pangolins confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade.

When an animal is in a soft release program, a dedicated member of the conservation team takes the pangolin out into the reserve where they keep a watchful eye to safeguard this precious species and allow it to learn how to survive in the wild.

Mavela Game Lodge has an exciting opportunity to allow guests to support this project, spend a limited amount of time with this incredible animal in its natural habitat and learn about the rehabilitation process. Join us on an experience that will allow you to observe and follow a pangolin on foot through the Manyoni Game Reserve.

A trained handler will accompany you throughout the walk to explain the fascinating behaviour of the pangolin and the conservation efforts needed to protect these creatures. Please note that this experience is only available for soft-release animals, or when routine tag changes and weigh-ins need to be done on released pangolins.

More About the Pangolin

Classified as Vulnerable, the very elusive Temminck’s Ground Pangolin is the only Pangolin species found in Southern Africa. Unfortunately, these nocturnal creatures are the most trafficked animal in the world. Through conservation efforts such as this, we are able to gradually release these wild little ones back to their natural habitat with the hopes of steadily increasing the number of Pangolins found in the wild.