Historic year for pangolins: Brookfield Zoo Chicago welcomes second pangopup of 2026

Historic year for pangolins: Brookfield Zoo Chicago
welcomes second pangopup of 2026


White-bellied pangolin birth highlights a decade of Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s global leadership in pangolin care, research and conservation


Brookfield, IL—Brookfield Zoo Chicago is celebrating a historic milestone with the birth of a white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis)—the second pangopup born at the Zoo this year while celebrating 10 years of pangolin care and conservation.


Born to 11-year-old mother Virginia on June 8, the female pangopup is now one month old and thriving behind the scenes with her mother. The Zoo’s dedicated animal care team has observed important developmental milestones, including consistent nursing and exploring the nest box on her own. The pangopup also continues to enjoy one of the most unique parts of pangolin infancy—riding on Virginia’s tail. Meanwhile, the male pangopup born to Rosy in February has started weaning and eating solid foods.


“Every pangolin birth is a special moment, but welcoming two pangopups in a single year is an extraordinary milestone and testament to a decade of dedication by our animal care team,” said Racquel Ardisana, associate director of carnivore and small mammal care and conservation at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. “Pangolins are fascinating animals that face some of the greatest threats of any mammal on Earth. Every opportunity we have to learn from them and share their story helps strengthen our conservation efforts, raise awareness about the challenges they face and inspire our community to help protect this remarkable species.”


Both births this year build on Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s longstanding leadership in pangolin care and conservation. Over the past 10 years, the Zoo has welcomed 11 pangolin births while advancing critical knowledge in pangolin nutrition, veterinary medicine, reproductive physiology and neonatal care for a species historically considered difficult to sustain under professional care.


White-bellied pangolins are small, nocturnal mammals native to forests of Central and West Africa. They are the only mammals in the world covered in protective scales, which they use as a defense by curling into a tight ball when threatened. They are also among the most trafficked mammals in the world, making every birth under professional care important to the species' future.


All eight pangolin species are threatened with extinction. Pangolins face intense pressures from wildlife trafficking, habitat loss and fragmentation, road mortality, electric fencing and human-wildlife conflict. Millions of pangolins have been poached over the past decade alone, underscoring the urgency of coordinated, science-driven action to address threats across their native range in both Africa and Asia.


Each pangopup provides rare insights into the biology of a species that remains challenging to study in the wild due to its secretive, nocturnal nature. Knowledge gained through births under professional care helps inform conservation efforts, rehabilitation programs, rescue response and species management strategies—all core elements of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) Pangolin program led by Brookfield Zoo Chicago.


While both pangopups will remain behind the scenes for care and monitoring, guests can see the only pangolin on habitat in North America at Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s Habitat Africa! The Forest. Guests are encouraged to visit around feeding times or to look carefully among the habitat’s hiding spaces for the best opportunities to see this nocturnal mammal.

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