First Chinese pangolin baby ‘Little Cone’ in Europe born in Prague zoo, doing well

Prague received the rare animal from Taiwan last year, becoming only the second European zoo to keep the species

The Chinese pangolin is native to southern China and Southeast Asia and is one of the four pangolin species living in Asia

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A baby Chinese pangolin is being weighed at the Prague Zoo in Czech Republic. A female baby of Chinese pangolin has been born in the Prague zoo on February 2, 2023, as the first birth of the critically endangered animal on the European continent, and was doing well, the park said. Photo: AP

Published: 2:13am, 25 Feb 2023Updated: 3:31am, 25 Feb 2023

A Chinese pangolin has been born in the Prague zoo, the first birth of the critically endangered animal in captivity in Europe, and is doing well after initial troubles, the park said.

For the first few days after the baby female was born on February 2, park keepers were worried because it was losing weight.

The reason was found to be that the mother, Run Hou Tang, did not have enough milk. Following consultations with experts from Taiwan, a programme of artificial feeding with milk from a cat was introduced and the mother was stimulated to produce more of her own.

The Chinese pangolin is native to southern China and southeastern Asia and is one of the four pangolin species living in Asia, while another four can be found in Africa. Photo: AP

That turned things around, with the zoo now expressing cautious optimism about the pup, which still has no name but has been nicknamed “Little Cone” because it resembles a spruce cone.

“We have only overcome the first hurdle and others are still waiting for us,” zoo director Miroslav Bobek said.

The baby’s birthweight was just 135 grams (4.76 ounces). Adults can reach up to 6.8kg (15 pounds).

The Chinese pangolin is native to southern China and Southeast Asia and is one of the four pangolin species living in Asia, while another four can be found in Africa.