Energy budgets of captive Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla)

We measured the metabolic level of Chinese pangolins using breath calorimetry, demonstrating that Chinese pangolins have a low metabolic rate. Compared to other animals, Chinese pangolins require less energy to survive in captivity. This study lays the foundation for better ex situ conservation of Chinese pangolins. Abstract The Chinese pangolin is an endangered species, and ex situ conservation and captive rescue are important conservation measures. This requires reliable information on nutritional energy requirements and expenditure characteristics. However, we lack sufficient knowledge of their energy physiology to determine their energy requirements for maintenance and growth. An open-flow respirometry system was used to measure the resting metabolic rate (RMR) and the daily energy expenditure (DEE) of Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla), and the dietary digestive energy was measured. The average RMR in Chinese pangolins was 3.23 ml O2 kg−1 min−1 at an ambient temperature (Ta) of 24.5–30°C, which was only 73.0% of the expected value based on body mass (BM). The average DEE values were 744.9 kJ day−1 in animals with BM >3 kg and 597.3 kJ day−1 in those with BM