There has been an increase in sightings of the critically endangered Sunda pangolin in Singapore — but that's not necessarily a good thing.
More rescues and roadkill were similarly observed, according to a study initiated by the Nature Society Singapore (NSS), which referenced 482 records between 1996 and 2021.
Importantly, while all three — pangolin sightings, rescues and roadkills — showed an increase between 2011 and 2022, reports of roadkill showed the "strongest increase", the study found.
Both rescues and roadkill — the former of which necessarily involves some sort of injury or vulnerability — also primarily took place along the fringes of core forested areas, it noted.
Hotspot areas
The study was published on Sep. 16, 2024, in conservation journal Oryx.
Of the 482 Sunda pangolin records it referenced, 220 were rescues, 96 were roadkill, and 166 were sightings.
Roadkill and rescues occurred mostly in central and western Singapore, close to forested areas.
As such, the study suggested that mitigation actions could be focused at such "hotspot areas" to deter the occurrence of vehicle collisions.
Examples of mitigation include wildlife crossings, such as the Eco-Link @ BKE, which is already used by Sunda pangolins, as well as other endangered species like the Raffles' banded langur.
Barriers could also be erected at road sides, and animal detection systems implemented for motorists.
"Such measures have been shown to reduce wildlife mortality elsewhere," the report noted.
Mammal researcher Marcus Chua from the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum told The Straits Times that the increased number of sightings could mean a rise in the species' population, although this cannot be confirmed unless more studies are conducted.
The study also highlighted that it is uncertain if the increase in rescued individuals represents a rise in the number of pangolins requiring rescue, increased rescue capacity, or simply more public reporting.
Living dangerously
The study also found that male pangolins were twice as likely to be rescued as compared to female pangolins, while subadults — both male and female — were the second likeliest group.
Both groups were also the main roadkill victims. Males were 3.6 times more likely to be reported as roadkill than females, according to study's findings.
This likely comes as a result of males' roaming and dispersal tendencies, which puts them at a higher risk of collision with vehicles, the study said.
As this is the first georeferenced database of pangolins in Singapore, the information from the study could, in future, help advise threat mitigation and post-rescue release strategies.
For instance, with the understanding that adult males are likelier to roam, they could be released further away from urban areas, it suggested.
"During 2015 to 2021, 67 per cent of all rescued pangolins in Singapore were successfully treated and returned to the wild," the study noted.
"The continued strengthening of this rehabilitation network and the capacity to care for increasing numbers of rescued individuals are crucial for the conservation and management of the species in Singapore."
It added that moving forward, telemetry or camera traps could be used to conduct further research, which could in turn reveal the pangolins' movement pathways and better inform future rescue strategies.
As of March 2023, information from the database has already been used for environmental impact assessments in four development projects in or around pangolin habitats.
Sunda pangolin
Sunda pangolins, or Manis javanica, are native to Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia.
Classified as critically endangered, they are one of the most trafficked mammals in the world, and are hunted by poachers for their meat and scales.
In Singapore however, the biggest threats to the forest-dwellers are habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as collisions with vehicles.
In 2021, 10 fatal road accidents were recorded in the first half of the year alone.
Primarily nocturnal, Sunda pangolins are mostly confined to forested nature reserves, nature parks, the western catchment area, and the offshore islands of Ubin and Tekong.
If you see a pangolin in Singapore, observe them from a safe distance and do not approach them as they are shy and scare easily.
If the pangolin appears to be wounded or in distress, or is out of its natural forested habitat, you can call Acres' rescue hotline on 9783 7782 from 7am to 1am, or the National Parks Board (NParks)'s Animal Response Centre at 1800 476 1600.
You should also call NParks at 1800 471 7300, or the police, if you are aware of any illegal trading or poaching of pangolins in Singapore.
If you've spotted a pangolin, you can submit a record here to the Singapore Pangolin Working Group. This will contribute data to conservation efforts and studies such as these.
Top image from Mandai Wildlife Group