Endangered wild pangolin is rescued by police officer after it was found stuck in a TOILET in China
- Chinese pangolin was found trapped inside a toilet in a railway staff dormitory
- Surprised workers quickly alerted police who were then able to free the animal
- Footage of the rescue shows the adorable animal covering its face with its paws
- Scaly anteater was released into the wild after police confirmed it was unhurt
Police officers in east China have rescued a wild pangolin after it was found trapped in a toilet.
The critically endangered Chinese pangolin was spotted stuck in the toilet of a railway staff dormitory in Jixi county, Anhui province last Friday, prompting surprised workers to alert the authorities.
The shy, harmless pangolin was seen covering its face with its tiny paws while officers carefully dismantled the porcelain toilet with a hammer to free the animal during a dramatic operation.
The critically endangered Chinese pangolin was spotted stuck in the toilet of a railway staff dormitory in Jixi county, Anhui province last Friday, prompting workers to alert the authorities
The rescued pangolin is kept in a cardboard box before it was rescued into the wild by police
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Footage of the rescue shows officers having to detach the toilet from the floor of the dormitory and move the bowl outdoors to better avoid hurting the mammal.
The pangolin is thought to have climbed into the narrow space behind the toilet bowl through a hole in the wall before finding itself in the dire predicament.
'Considering the pangolin's safety, police decided to break apart the toilet,' a statement released by Jixi police last Thursday said.
Footage of the rescue shows officers having to detach the toilet from the floor of the dormitory and move the bowl outdoors to better avoid hurting the mammal
The pangolin is thought to have climbed into the narrow space behind the toilet bowl through a hole in the wall before finding itself in the dire predicament
The video shows officers freeing the distressed animal by carefully shattering the base of the toilet into small pieces with a small hammer.
Once it was freed, the adorable pangolin is seen curling itself into a ball before being transferred to a cardboard box.
Forestry bureau officers are seen snapping photos of it and measuring it for documentation.
After determining that it had suffered no injuries, the rangers later released it back into the wild, the police statement added.
Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, are critically endangered. They are the world's most trafficked mammals because of their meat, which is considered a delicacy, and their scales, which some believe to have medicinal qualities
Officers are seen snapping photos of it and measuring it for documentation after the rescue
After determining it had suffered no injuries, the rangers later released it back into the wild
The clip also shows the animal scurrying away into the woods after it was released.
Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, are critically endangered. They are the world's most trafficked mammals because of their meat, which is considered a delicacy, and their scales, which some believe to have medicinal qualities.
Despite their global protected status and trading ban, hundreds of thousands of pangolins are still being poached every year. Their scales are often used as an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine said to cure anything from the common cold to cancer.
