Environment
Sunda pangolin casually wandering around 3rd floor HDB corridor, rescued by Acres
It was uninjured based on initial inspection.
August 01, 2025, 11:26 AM
A Sunda pangolin made its way to the third floor of a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block on Jul. 30 before a resident spotted it.
The stranded pangolin, which ended up climbing up a flat's gate, was rescued by an Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) team, and brought back to Acres.
Rescued from level 3 of HDB block
Acres' CEO, Kalai Vanan, told Mothership that their Wildlife Rescue team got a call for a pangolin in a HDB estate on the night of Jul. 30.
At around 11pm, a resident had spotted the pangolin wandering around on the third floor of the block.
GIF of video from Acres
The resident notified Acres and continued to monitor the pangolin's movements.
A picture shared by Acres showed that the pangolin had climbed up the gate of a unit there.
Image from Acres
The Acres team subsequently rescued the pangolin at around 11:30pm.
One of Acres's officers who was involved in a pangolin rescue for the first time was surprised to see a Sunda pangolin on the third floor of a HDB block, said Kalai.
Based on initial inspection, the pangolin seemed uninjured.
It was brought back to Acres afterwards.
Kalai said the area where the pangolin was rescued is "not far from green spaces" where Sunda pangolins are known to travel through or live in.
"We are just glad that he managed to stay safe as he must have crossed multiple roads to get where he was found," Kalai added.
More about pangolins
Native to Singapore, the Sunda pangolin is listed as a critically endangered species in the Singapore Red Data Book 2024, according to NParks.
They are typically found in forested areas and nature reserves.
In Singapore, the pangolins especially face the threat of roadkill when they stray off too far from the forested areas onto roads, NParks said.
They are considered the world's most trafficked mammal and are threatened by poachers for their meat and scales.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare notes that their scales and claws are used in traditional medicine, and they are considered a delicacy in parts of Asia.
Encountering a pangolin
While pangolins are shy and will not attack humans, members of the public are advised to leave pangolins alone instead of attempting to touch, chase, or corner them, which can frighten them.
If you've spotted a pangolin, you can also submit a record here to the Singapore Pangolin Working Group, and contribute to its conservation efforts.
However, if you encounter a pangolin that appears to be in any danger, or is injured, do contact Acres at 9783 7782 or NParks at 1800-476-1600.
Lastly, in the event that you witness any illegal trading or poaching, taking photographic and/or videographic evidence of the traps, snares, nets, trapped animals, poachers, and/or the vehicle license plate number will be useful in apprehending the perpetrator.
You can also call NParks' hotline at 1800-471-7300 or contact the police.
Related
Top image from Acres
