Meanwhile, Billy’s wound worsened. We tried aggressive care with antibiotics and wound treatment but the infection spread quickly and it soon came down to his life or his arm. The decision to operate wasn’t an easy one as any surgery has risks and recovery can be challenging, but Billy proved to be a trooper! Within two days of his surgery he was out foraging again, using his remaining hand to open termite mounds.
With his dedicated pangolin carer providing regular wound cleaning and monitoring, Billy is continuing to heal well and behave like a normal young pangolin. From his lowest weight of 3.7kg, Billy has been thriving post-op and has now reached 5.7kg. We hope to release him in the near future – once he’s done a bit more growing.