Morphometric Relationships, Growth and Condition Factors of Critically Endangered Chinese Pangolin ( Manis pentadactyla )

Morphometric relationships and condition factors are crucial to quickly understanding the fitness and well-being of animals. Total length (cm) and bodyweight (g) of 282 (male = 167 and female = 115) pangolins were accounted for in this study which was received and rehabilitated in Pingtung Rescued C...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animals (Basel) 2022-04, Vol.12 (7), p.910
Main Authors: Suwal, Tulshi Laxmi, Chi, Meng-Jou, Tsai, Chi-Feng, Chan, Fang-Tse, Lin, Kuei-Hsien, Pei, Kurtis Jai-Chyi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Animal husbandry
Animals
Body length
bodyweight
Chinese pangolin
Condition factor
Conservation
Endangered & extinct species
Endangered species
Endemic species
Environmental conditions
Females
First aid
Habitats
International trade
Length-weight relationships
Males
Manis pentadactyla
Morphology
Nature conservation
Rainy season
Regression analysis
relative condition factor
Seasons
Species extinction
standardized guideline
Survival
Threatened species
total length
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Summary:Morphometric relationships and condition factors are crucial to quickly understanding the fitness and well-being of animals. Total length (cm) and bodyweight (g) of 282 (male = 167 and female = 115) pangolins were accounted for in this study which was received and rehabilitated in Pingtung Rescued Center, Pingtung and Endemic Species Research Institute, Nantou, Taiwan. The allometric equation; W = aLb was used to estimate the length-weight relationships where R2 = 0.70, a = 0.61, and b = 1.98. The ratio of total body length and tail length was between 1.1 and 2.7. Pangolins exhibited negative allometric growth (b < 3) as their length increased. The average relative condition factor (KR) was 1.04, indicating a state of good health for rescued individuals. However, Fulton condition factor (KF) and KR fluctuated in different months but was significantly heavier during the wet seasons. This study recommended to release healthy animals with KF of 0.8 or higher back into the wild in order to increase their survival rate. The study, thus will be helpful to promote standardized guidelines for conducting physical measurements and understanding health status. Additionally, it will support the recovery of this threatened species by husbandry and diet management in ex-situ and in-situ conservation.
ISSN:2076-2615
2076-2615
DOI:10.3390/ani12070910