Air temperature changes in a burrow of Chinese pangolin,<i>Manis pentadactyla</i>, in winter

Abstract

We determined burrow temperature variation for the Chinese pangolin in winter over a study period from 1 December 2009 to 28 February 2010, at Luofushan Nature Reserve, China. Our results show that the air temperature inside the burrow was stable with only a slight fluctuation, the diurnal variation amplitude was merely 0.0–0.5 °C (SD = 0.08 ± 0.09 °C, n = 90), and winter temperature fluctuated between 17.8–21.0 °C. On the contrary, air temperature outside the burrow fluctuated dramatically, the diurnal variation amplitude ranging from 0.7–20.0 °C (SD = 4.99 ± 3.47 °C, n = 90); the seasonal temperature fluctuated between 4.6–38.3 °C. In winter, the average temperature inside the burrow was 18.96 °C (SD = 0.91, n = 90), and significantly higher than the average temperature outside the burrow (p < 0.01), which was 15.16 °C (SD = 3.85, n = 90). No significant relationship was found between the temperatures inside and outside the burrow, and the temperature changes outside the burrow had almost no significant influence on thermal conditions inside the burrow. It was therefore proposed that the most optimum ambient temperature for Chinese pangolins in winter was in the range of 18–21 °C.