All About Animals

Pangolins

Name: Pangolins
Scientific Name: Mandar
Species Diet: Insectivore
Species Size: 45 inch to 4.5 ft long
Species Average Life Span: Unknown
Species Weight: 4 to 72 pounds
- Sad fact is that Pangolins are believed to be the world's most trafficked animal.(Trafficking: deal or trade in something illegal.)
-  There are 8 different Pangolins species.4 of them are and are found at  Asia- Chinese Sunda, Philippine, and Indian pangolins. The four African species are the ground pangolin, giant pangolin, white bellied, and black bellied which are also listed as vulnerable.
- A lot of pangolins are poached/killed every year for their scales. Their scales are used in traditional chinese medicine and for their meat which is a delicacy between some ultra-wealthy in China and Vietnam.
- Their scales are made of keratin which is the same material that makes up hair, fingernails, and horn.
- Their scales just like a rhinos horn have no proven medicinal value. The scales in most cases are dried and ground into powder, which could be turned into a pill.
- Pangolins are mainly active at night. - - Most Pangolins live on the ground but some pangolins can climb trees like the black bellied pangolin.
- When pangolins are threatened they turn into a ball kinda like an armadillo.
- Pangolins can release a stinky fluid from a gland in their tail right where their base is and they use it as a defense mechanism.
- Pangolins have long tongues that come in handy when eating insects.
- They are actually able to close their ears and noses to keep ants from coming in their bodies while eating.
- Pangolins are actually mostly related to bears, cats, and dogs not anteaters nor armadillo's.

Sources: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/pangolins