Critically endangered pangolins smuggled into China from Malaysia die soon after being rescued

Critically endangered pangolins that were smuggled into China from Malaysia last year died soon after they were found, the wildlife centre that took them in told local media on Monday.

Tests showed that the protected animals carried a highly infectious virus that could have spread to other native wildlife, Southern Morning Post reported.

The Terrestrial Wildlife Rescue Research and Epidemic Disease Surveillance Centre in Lusheng, Guangxi province received the 34 pangolins in August last year from the local forestry administration.

Two of the animals died almost immediately while the remaining 32 died within the next two months.

The pangolins died due to organ failure from overfeeding, acute stress response, reduction in ingestion of food and infections from pathogenic microorganisms.

The virus test conducted by the forestry administration found that 33 out of the 34 pangolins had carried a highly infectious virus.