Burrow-Based Monitoring of Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) Reveals Importance of Core Natural Habitat in Hong Kong

Abstract

The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is a Critically Endangered species with elusive habits that challenge monitoring efforts. In Hong Kong and for much of its distribution, basic questions on the population biology, distribution, and habitat associations of M. pentadactyla have not been fully investigated. We developed a burrow-based monitoring approach relying on reconnaissance walks across grids coupled with landscape-scale modeling based on remote sensing data to fill these knowledge gaps for the species. From 2018 to 2021 we detected a total of 248 burrows across sites in Hong Kong, with active usage of a subset of these verified through camera trapping. The burrow-level analysis revealed that burrows tended to be further away from the coast and at higher elevations than random. Burrows were also found in grasslands, shrublands, and mature forest in roughly equal proportions. For the grid-level analysis, we found burrows were more numerous further away from the coast, when areas had an east-facing aspect, and with lower proportions of shrubland and urbanization. Both scales of the analysis identified distance to coast as the most important factor suggesting that core natural habitats and undisturbed/protected areas are key for pangolin persistence in Hong Kong. We found no evidence of human hunting for pangolins but dogs were recorded at an active burrow. The rare and elusive nature of M. pentadactyla can complicate monitoring efforts but our results here demonstrate how burrow-based approaches, particularly when leveraged in landscape analysis and remote sensing (and LiDAR especially), can be used to provide key conservation and wildlife management insights.

Keywords

burrow / camera trap / habitat suitability / monitoring / pangolins / urbanization

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2026 The Author(s). Integrative Conservation published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG).