Woman encounters critically endangered Sunda pangolin, says it was “like meeting a rare Pokemon”

SINGAPORE: A TikTok user got more than she bargained for on a recent night out, when she came across the increasingly rare Sunda pangolin at Toa Payoh, only 100 of which are left in the wild in Singapore.

And while the clubbing turned out to be boring, Ms Sarah May Low wrote she was glad she went out anyway, if only for her “FATED ENCOUNTER” with the endangered animal. She even wrote that it was “like meeting a rare Pokemon.”

@sarahmaylow

Met a Critically ENDANGERED Sunda Pangolin at Toa Payoh! Only 100 of these left in the wild in Singapore 🇸🇬 #fyp #fypsingapore #singapore #pangolin #wildpangolin #endangeredanimal #sundapangolin #toapayoh

♬ original sound – Sarah May Low – IG: SarahMayLow

In it, the pangolin can be seen making its way on the pavement at Toa Payoh, which appeared to be relatively empty at the time.

However, it walked quite near a road, which is alarming, because pangolins move slowly and have been hurt, and even killed, by vehicles when they come too close to the street.

“The Sunda pangolin or Malayan Pangolin (Manis Javanica), also known as the scaly anteater, is a shy, nocturnal, solitary mammal covered in scales that are made of compressed hair….

In Singapore, they are mainly distributed in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. They can also be found in forested areas in Bukit Batok, the Western Catchment Area, and on the islands of Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong. They sometimes wander into residential areas from nearby woods,” says the National Parks Board.

The animal is listed as critically endangered, and its biggest threat is massive habitat loss due to the fast pace of urbanization.

People are discouraged from touching or even approaching the animals, as they can get frightened. But they do not attack humans.

Ms Low’s video, posted on Tuesday (Aug 15) has since gone viral, getting over 186,000 views.

Many TikTok users have commented on the video, with a number of them saying it would be best to report this type of sighting, so the authorities can escort the pangolin home and so it can be protected from poachers.

/TISG

Pangolin spotted in MacRitchie Nature Trail