I think that one of the strangest creatures that I have ever heard of is the Pangolin. Now, I am sure that there are those out there that might be reading this are probably asking themselves the same question I asked myself when I first heard the name: What in the WORLD is a Pangolin?
Here are the facts:
It turns out there are eight different species of Pangolin in existence with four of them ranging across Asia while the other four are found n Africa south of Sahara Desert. All pangolins belong to the genus
Manis which is in the family Manidae which is the only family within the order Pholidota. Their closest living relatives are the Xenarthrans – anteaters, armadillos, and sloths.
The Asian pangolins include:
The Indian (or thick-tailed) pangolin
(Manis crassicaudata)
The Chinese (or Formosan) pangolin
(Manis pentadactyla)
The Malayan (or Sunda) pangolin
(Manis javanica)
The Palawan (or Philippine) pangolin
(Manis culionensis)
The African pangolins include:
Cape (or Temminck’s) ground pangolin
(Manis temminckii)
Tree (or African white-bellied) pangolin
(Phataginus tricuspis)
Long-tailed (or black-bellied) pangolin
(Uromanis tetradactyla
Giant ground pangolin
(Smutsia gigantea)
Physical Characteristics:
The four species of Asian pangolins can be differ from their African counterparts by the presence of bristles which can be found emerging from between their scales.
Wait...scales?
Yep, you read that right. Pangolin species vary in size from about 3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) to a maximum of about 73 lbs. (33 kg.). Colors can vary from light to yellowish brown through olive to dark brown. They have these protective scales that overlap and cover their entire bodies that are made out of keratin. Don't know what keratin is? Take a look at your hair and fingernails. Keratin is the protein that human hair and fingernails are made out of. These overlapping scales kind of look like the leaves on an artichoke.
These scales grow throughout the animals life (much like our hair and fingernails). Pangolins dig burrows in search of ants and termites to eat, so the edges of the scales are continually worn down by them doing so. The underside of the pangolin has no scales and is covered with very sparse fur
Pangolins have conical heads with jaws that lack teeth, BUT they have this absolutely amazing tongue that is extremely long. This very sticky, muscular tongue is what the pangolin uses to lap up termites and ants out deep cavities. Pangolins can't really see all that well so they use their amazing sense of smell in order to help them locate where their food is at (in this case, termite and ant nests). Their tongue is actually attached near its pelvis and last pair of ribs, and when it's fully extended out it's actually longer than the animal's head and body. When the tongue is not in use, it retracts into a "sheath' in the animal's chest cavity. Their stomachs are muscular and have keratinous spines projecting into its interior. Usually containing small stones, a pangolin's stomach mashes and grinds its food.
See that amazing tongue in action:
Pangolins also have really stout limbs which are really well adapted for digging. They have five toes on each paw (just like you and I have five toes on each of our feet), and their forefeet have three long, curved, claws that they use to demolish the nests of termites and ants as well as to dig nesting and sleeping burrows. Pangolins shuffle around on all four limbs, balancing on the outer edges of their forefeet and tucking their foreclaws underneath as they walk. They can actually run pretty fast and will often raise themselves up on their hind limbs to sniff the air. Pangolins are also pretty capable swimmers, and while some pangolins such as the African ground pangolin are strictly terrestrial, others, such as the African tree pangolin, are extremely good climbers, using their claws and semi-prehensile tails to help them grip bark and scale trees.
Watch the Pangolin move on the ground:
Pangolin Habitat Distribution:
Pangolins can be found dwelling in tropical flooded forests, thick brush, cleared, cultivated areas, and savannah grassland. They are generally most often found where there are large populations of termites and ants.
Behavior:
Pangolins are secretive, solitary creatures that are also nocturnal which makes it more difficult for scientists to study them in the wild allowing for many of their behaviors and habits to remain secrets. Some pangolins, like the Chinese pangolin, like to sleep in underground burrows during the day while others, like the African tree pangolin and Malayan pangolin, have been known to sleep in trees. They emerge in the evening to hunt for insects. They use their strong front paws and claws to dig burrows while using their tails and rear legs to help them balance. When they are tunneling underground they excavate the sides and roofs of passages by pushing up and from side to side with their tough, scaled bodies. Some burrows have been found with chambers large enough for a human to not only crawl inside but also be able to stand up in. They use their front and hind feet to kick dirt out of the entrance.
Chinese pangolins that live in temperate areas hibernate in strategically placed burrows that are next to termite and ant nests so they can have a lasting food source. Indian pangolins that have been found in Sri Lanka reportedly live in the rainforest canopy where they are close to numerous amounts of fruits and flowers that attract ants as opposed down on the ground where there are more predators and the food supply may be much more limited. Their scales provide a good defense against predators, which they use teo their advantage by rolling up into a ball. They can also defend themselves by hissing and puffing as well as lashing out with their tails.
Because they depend on their strong sense of smell so much, Pangolins also mark their territory with their urine as well as scattering feces and secretions from a special gland. Experts think that these markings may help denote dominance or sexual status, and it may even help individuals recognize each other which sounds a bit like a personal calling card.
Reproduction and Offspring:
Males and females are sexually dimorphic (which means that there is something different about the genders that helps to tell them apart). Males are usually 10 - 50% heavier than females while Indian pangolins are usually 90% heavier. They reach sexual maturity at about 2 years and they usually only give birth to one offspring.
(Mother with baby on her back)
Their pregnancy range is about 65-70 days for the Indian pangolin to 139 days for the Cape and Tree pangolins. When born offspring may only weigh in at about 12 ounces. Their scales are soft and pink but begin to harden by the second day. Mothers nurture their mother in nesting burrows, wrapping around them to protect them while they are sleeping or when they are being threatened. Babies nurse for 3-4 months but are capable of eating ants and termites at about 1 month. This is about the time they begin to adventure outside of the borrow, traveling on their mother's back while she forages for food (as pictured above).
Diet:
Pangolins primarily dine on termites and ants, but they have also been known to supplement with various other invertebrates as well including bee larvae flies, worms, earthworms, and crickets. They play a vital role in the environment: pest control. It is said that a single pangolin can eat more than 70 million insects annually. Unfortunately, this specialized diet makes them difficult to maintain in captivity as they will often reject unfamiliar insect species or become ill when fed foreign food. They use their awesome claws to break into nests and then use their long, sticky tongue to lap up their food. They also have this amazing feature that allows them to close their nostrils and ears by using special muscles which prevents them from being stung by attacking insects.
Lifespan:
No one really knows how long pangolins can live in the wild, but pangolins have reported to live to be as old as 20 in captivity.
Conservation Status;
Unfortunately, like so many other species of animals and plants that we share our planet with, many of the pangolin species are being threatened with extinction mostly thanks to loss of habitat as well as poaching. Pangolin scales are highly prized, often being used in bogus Asian medicines and fashion accessories. There is a large amount of demand for pretty much all parts pangolin, with the biggest buyers coming out of China. The large scale trade in Asian pangolins have caused population numbers to plummet to near extinction across S.E Asia. Very little is known about this illegal trade except for the fact that it is happening at an alarming scale and that, along with inadequate government regulations and awareness are making the trade hard to combat as well as insufficient political will and financial resources. There is a lack of data on trade routes showing where the pangolins are coming from and where exactly they are ending up. The immediate halting of this cruel, and illegal trade is crucial to the survival of this species.
According to the IUCN:
- Indian or thick-tailed pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) – Near Threatened
- Chinese or Formosan pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) – Endangered
- Malayan or Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) – Endangered
- Palawan or Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis) – Near Threatened
- Cape or Temminck’s ground pangolin (Manis temminckii)
- Tree or African white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) – Near Threatened
- Giant ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) – Near Threatened
- Long-tailed or black-bellied pangolin (Uromanis tetradactyla)
Want to figure out more on how you can help save pangolins? Visit the
How Can I Help? section where you can find important links that will allow you to gather more information.
