Meet the Chinese pangolin
This artichoke-shaped critter is the only mammal fully covered in scales. Their armored exterior means they have almost no predators, except humans. Don’t be deterred by their hard appearance, the pangolin is an extremely shy and gentle animal. Pangolins roll into a ball when frightened making it easy for poachers to scoop them up, this ease has made them the most poached animal in the world! (Ching-Min, 2019)
Help us meet our panGOAL of protecting these important creatures!
You have already met the Chinese Pangolin, or Manis
pentadactyla, but there are actually eight species of
pangolin in the world, all found on the continents of
Asia and Africa. Out of those species, all are on the Red List, ranging from vulnerable to critically endangered (Ching-Min, 2019). In the year 2000, about 25,000 to 50,000 were taking residence underground in little burrows. Now likely about 10% of the 2000 population (2,500-5,000 pangolins) remain (Pangolin | Species | WWF. (2020)). The forest and grassland terrain that make up their habitat is filled with burrows they dig out (often from abandoned ant/termite mounds) (Gong, Shiping, 2015).
Fun Fact!
pangolins have an average lifespan of 20 years in the wild
