Last Updated: Tuesday, 18 October 2005
Pangolin found at farm

Herald Reporter
A MAN from Dunnotor Farm some 30km south of Harare on Sunday evening picked up a pangolin — one of Zimbabwe’s most sacred animals — as he drove through the gate to his home.

In Shona culture a pangolin is a sacred animal whose meat is the preserve of chiefs.

Anyone who bumps into it is regarded as an extremely lucky person.

However, the Government, through the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has gazetted the pangolin as one of the country’s protected sacred species of wildlife.

In an interview yesterday, Mr Ignatious Gono said he saw the rare creature when he was coming from work at around 2100 hours at the gate of his homestead.

"I saw the creature when I was driving and I flashed my lights to have a vivid picture and investigate only to see that it was a pangolin," he said

By yesterday, Mr Gono had not yet handed over the pangolin to anyone as he was waiting for a response from Chief Seke and officials from the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

This is not the first time sacred creatures have appeared at the same homestead.

Sometime this year, Mr Gono mistakenly stepped on a python. A few days later, a python allegedly swallowed a goat in the presence of the farm workers.

The area is also believed to be a sacred one since spirit mediums like Chaminuka inhabited it and for this reason it was also called "Dema raChaminuka".

According to cultural beliefs, it is taboo to kill or keep a pangolin without the chief’s knowledge.

Kathi:
What is a Pangolin? Do you have a picture? I find this quite fasinating.

Paul K

Here is a picture of our Ph Dene with a pangolin on Dendro Park ranch.

Dene has come across a few of them over the years, I also was fortunate to see one when I was last there some 2+ years ago

Here's a picture from one of BillC's threads.

That would make some really cool boots, I wonder if russel mocassin would make me a pair of ph's in pangolin hide.

I've managed to catch two of them now. Quite lucky when you consider that one propetry I was on the owners had it in the family for 100 years and never saw one. The other one was on my consession. In both cases we were hunting on foot, which to me explains why they are not often seen by "road hunting".

One of my friends there also a PH said that having caught one or even having seen one is just very slighlty easier then seeing or capturing a Yeti. He had been a PH for 25 years and had never seen one either!

I suppose it's one of those little Africa bonouses that you tkae for granted. Having caught two of them now I feel very grateful that I have even seen one, much less been able to actually hold one in my hands.

I have encountered one 4 times and consider myself very lucky. They remind me of an artichoke.

Mark- do you use mayonnaise or butter for dipping. You'll eat anything!!

Wow, I didn't realize they were so rare when we saw one last year in Namibia. Adds a little extra "oomph" to the sighting.

I saw a large one in Cameroon this past July. There, the pangolin is actually on license, but it did not seem right for me to take it. And, I felt better about just watching it for a few minutes.

John,

Melted butter for sure. A California boy WOULD know all about that.

Mark

Pangolin's are good luck!!! I can attest to this first hand as to the luck you receive...
In the summer of 04 while hunting ele & buf in Zim we came upon this cool looking creature...Looked like a porocupine and an armadillo cross.. Hence a pangolin..The natives were scared of it would not touch it..Ph helped me catch it and I picked it up as it rolled up into a ball and I held it very gently and photos were taken of it... Cool looking up close...

Then on June 16, 2005 I won the buff hunt to the Selous for 16 days on AR.. Smiled and floated around for a week and still excited...

Mike