Gastrointestinal ulceration and gastritis in three wild Temmincks Ground Pangolins (Smutsia temminckii) in captive care in Zambia

Background: Wild rescued pangolins are known to adapt poorly in their captive environment where many die under rehabilitation. Gastrointestinal disease and pneumonia are the most common causes of death in pangolins. However, literature on the pathology of gastric ulcers is rare. Case presentation: The current case report describes the necropsy and histopathological evaluation of three Temminck’s pangolins that died under rehabilitation in Lusaka, Zambia. Grossly, gastric ulcerations of the fundic gland mucosae were seen in the stomachs. Inflammatory cells and erosions of fundic gastric gland mucosa were seen on histopathology. The morphological diagnosis of gastric ulceration with gastritis was attributed to stress and inappropriate diet. Conclusions: The findings are expected to increase knowledge in pangolin diseases and thus improve the conservation efforts to save the pangolin species from extinction.