When Swift transport pledged support to the Tikki Hywood Trust in November 2012 we never envisaged such a fulfilling journey over the years, or the hands-on role it would take in the rescuing of one of Zimbabwe’s endangered mammals, the Pangolin.
The survival of the Pangolin is threatened through poaching and the demise of their natural habitat. If no action is taken, the Pangolin will cease to exist in the very near future.
Through the sponsorship the company was soon involved on the ground, by transporting Pangolin from remote areas around Zimbabwe into the safe hands of the Tikki Hywood Trust, in Harare. This involved the assistance and participation of many Swift staff.
At Swift, we believe in ‘going the extra mile,’ which means we willingly put in more than asked without thought and expectation of reward, and this motto is part of our company values. Through the dedication and total by-in from depot managers, their staff and the company’s truck drivers; five precious Pangolins have been saved to date. This is an accomplishment to be proud of, as we celebrate World Pangolin Day on the 21st of February 2015.
Austin Mhaka, Mutare depot manager: “I have personally collected two Pangolin from National Parks in Chimanimani. It was a great honour and privilege to be involved in their rescue. We learned to make strong crates for them because they are awake when they travel at night. I have learnt a lot about Pangolins. We are very happy to help this animal”.
Douglas Marewanhema , Swift Trunk driver “It was an experience, my first pangolin. It was hard while travelling, the pangolin was awake and pushing to come out of the box, it is a strong animal, so I kept it calm by putting the cab light on every now and then. I am very happy to help, I will do it again.”
Julius Chigwada, Goods Forwarding Manager, Harare Main depot, “I was lucky to be at the depot and responsible for receiving each Pangolin, I was able to hold one. It is a good idea to help them. We are proud of what we are doing and we will be ready for more if they come in and need help."
Thanks to these unsung heroes, the following Pangolins have been rehabilitated and released back into the wild:
- A young female rescued from Ngezi, was believed to have originated from the Chegutu area. Being in good health she was released into the Umfurudzi National Park.
- A young male pangolin also from the Ngezi area has a remarkable story. He came in small and damaged, it looked like he had been hacked on his sides and across the face. After 11 months of rehabilitation, this little pangolin affectionately called Mak (full name Makhosini – or Little Prince) was finally released with a tracking device in to the Gonarezhou National Park.
- Another adult female was rescued from Mutare, believed to have originated from the Chimanimanis, had a very quick rehabilitation turnaround (being a very healthy female) and she was released in to the Gonarezhou National Park.
To all the unsung heroes who continue to support and raise awareness for the Pangolin, now the world’s most trafficked mammal, we sincerely thank you.