1. What is a pangolin, really?
Though many think of them as reptiles, pangolins are actually mammals. Pangolins’ closest relatives are carnivores, which they diverged from almost 80 million years ago. However, pangolins are in need of more research to better understand their taxonomy and evolution in order to help us better protect them.
Pangolins are the only mammals wholly-covered in scales and they use those scales to protect themselves from predators in the wild. If under threat, a pangolin will immediately curl into a tight ball and will use their sharp-scaled tails to defend themselves.
2. What do pangolins eat?
Pangolins eat ants, termites, and larvae and are often known as "the scaly anteater." Because they have no teeth, pangolins pick up food with their sticky tongues, which can sometimes reach lengths greater than the animal’s body.
3. The most trafficked mammal in the world?
Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world, with most trafficking in African species smuggled to Asia. Pangolins are in high demand in countries like China and Viet Nam. Their meat is considered a delicacy and pangolin scales are used in traditional medicine. All eight IUCN-recognized pangolin species are protected under national and international laws. But there is still growing international illegal trade in pangolins.
The period from 2017 to 2019 saw some of the largest confiscations, mostly involving African pangolin scales. During this time, more than 609 confiscations occurred in Asia, accounting for the seizure of 540,000 pounds of scales and 10,971 individual animals. Experts believe that seizures represent as little as 10 percent of the actual volume in pangolins in illegal wildlife trade.
