A probable Pleistocene pangolin (Order: Pholidota) trackway from South Africa’s Cape south coast

Charles W. Helm; Andrew S. Carr; Hayley C. Cawthra; #oma Daqm; Jan C. De Vynck; Pieter-Jan Gräbe; /uce Nǂamce; Clive R. Thompson

doi:10.17159/sajs.2025/18687

Authors

Charles W. Helm African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7995-8809
Andrew S. Carr School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5794-6428
Hayley C. Cawthra 1.African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa; 2.Minerals and Energy Unit, Council for Geoscience Western Cape Regional Office, Cape Town, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6101-5543
#oma Daqm Nyae Nyae Conservancy, Tsumkwe, Namibia https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8022-4729
Jan C. De Vynck Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1044-4046
Pieter-Jan Gräbe African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1192-4571
/uce Nǂamce Nyae Nyae Conservancy, Tsumkwe, Namibia https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3783-8501
Clive R. Thompson African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3864-5923

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2025/18687

Keywords:

pangolin, fossil tracks, aeolianites, Cape south coast, Pleistocene

Abstract

A fossil trackway, attributed to a probable pangolin trackmaker, has been identified on a Pleistocene aeolianite surface of the Waenhuiskrans Formation in the Bosbokfontein Private Nature Reserve on South Africa’s Cape south coast. The trackway consists of eight tracks and two probable tail traces. This appears to be the first description of a pangolin trackway in the global fossil record. The trackway was probably registered during Marine Isotope Stage 6 or 5. Trackway assessment and interpretation involved the integration of indigenous African and Western-based ichnological approaches, leading to a reasonably confident conclusion on the probable trackmaker’s identity. Alternative trackmakers (felids, viverrids and canids) were considered, but excluded or regarded as less likely candidates. There are three Cenozoic body fossil records of pangolins from the southwestern Cape, which have been assigned to the giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea). Only Temminck’s pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) currently occurs in southern Africa. All eight extant pangolin species are considered to be threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Significance:

A Pleistocene probable pangolin trackway has been identified east of Still Bay, Western Cape Province, South Africa.
The identification involved integrating indigenous African and Western-based ichnological approaches.
This appears to be the first known fossilised pangolin trackway.
The trackway consists of eight tracks and two probable tail traces.
This discovery could draw attention to the plight of pangolins.