Pangolin

Pangolins, also called scaly anteaters, are mammals with big, protective keratin scales on their skin. They live in hollow trees or burrows. Pangolins are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. They eat mostly ants and termites using their long tongues.

These animals usually live alone, only meeting to have babies. They have one to three babies at a time and take care of them for about two years.

Sadly, pangolins are often taken from the wild for their meat and scales. This hurts their populations, and they are also losing their homes because of deforestation. They are one of the animals most often taken from the wild. Many pangolin species are in danger because of these problems.

Etymology

The name Pholidota comes from Ancient Greek, meaning "clad in scales." The word pangolin comes from the Malay language, where it means "one who rolls up." This name was first used for the Sunda pangolin. Different cultures have their own names for pangolins, showing their special looks and actions.

Description

Pangolins look unusual with their large, hard scales that overlap like a pine cone. These scales are made of keratin, the same material as human fingernails and claws, and they are different from reptile scales. When threatened, a pangolin can curl up into a ball, using its scales as armor and hiding its face under its tail.

These animals have short legs with sharp claws. They use these claws for digging into ant and termite mounds and for climbing. Pangolins can also release a smelly chemical from glands near their bottom to defend themselves, much like a skunk. Their tongues are very long, up to 40 centimeters, and they use them to eat ants and termites.

Behaviour

Most pangolins are nocturnal animals, which means they are active at night. They use their good sense of smell to find insects to eat. Some pangolins, like the long-tailed pangolin, are also active during the day. Others sleep during the day and curl up into a ball.

Pangolins that live in trees stay in hollow parts of trees. Those that live on the ground dig tunnels deep into the earth. They can sometimes walk on two legs and are also good swimmers. They mainly eat ants and termites, which they find with their strong claws and long tongues. Because they don’t have teeth, they swallow small stones to help break down their food in their stomachs.

Classification and phylogeny

Further information: List of pholidotans

Pangolins are animals called pholidotans. They belong to a family named Manidae. This family has three groups called genera: Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia. The genus Manis has five species that live in Asia. The other two genera, Phataginus and Smutsia, each have two species. They live in sub-Saharan Africa. These animals are also called scaly anteaters.

Summary of extant species

Pangolins, also called scaly anteaters, are special mammals. They belong to the order Pholidota and the family Manidae. This family has three groups: Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia. The group Manis includes five species that live in Asia. Phataginus and Smutsia each have two species that live in sub-Saharan Africa.

Pangolins from Asia and Africa separated from each other about 41 million years ago. Asian pangolins are in the group Manis. African pangolins are split into two groups: Smutsia, which are larger and live on the ground, and Phataginus, which are smaller and live in trees. These animals are unique because of their scales and because they eat ants and termites.

See also: Pholidotamorpha

Common name	Binomial name	Population	Status	Trend	Image
Cryptic pangolin	Manis mysteria	unknown	NE
Philippine pangolin	Manis culionensis	unknown	CR
Sunda pangolin	Manis javanica	unknown	CR
Chinese pangolin	Manis pentadactyla	45,000-120,000	CR
Indian pangolin	Manis crassicaudata	unknown	EN
White-bellied pangolin	Phataginus tricuspis	unknown	EN
Giant ground pangolin (Giant pangolin)	Smutsia gigantea	unknown	EN
Black-bellied pangolin (Long-tailed pangolin)	Phataginus tetradactyla	unknown	VU
Temminck's ground pangolin (Ground pangolin)	Smutsia temminckii	unknown	VU

Threats

Pangolins are in danger because people believe their scales have special powers in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine. Many pangolins have been taken from the wild for this reason.

All eight kinds of pangolin are threatened, and three are in very serious danger. Even though there are rules to stop this, pangolins are still hunted for their meat and scales, which makes their numbers go down.

Virology

See also: Origin of SARS-CoV-2

Researchers found that a part of the virus that causes COVID-19 looks very similar to a part in viruses found in pangolins. This made some people think pangolins might have helped spread the virus. But later studies showed this was not true. Pangolins were not the source of COVID-19.

Scientists have also found other types of viruses in pangolins, including pestiviruses and coltiviruses. These were found in pangolins that had passed away. Even healthy pangolins can carry many different viruses without getting sick.

Folk medicine

Pangolin scales and flesh have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many years. Even though there is no scientific proof that these practices work, they are still popular and lead to the illegal trade of pangolin parts.

Historically, pangolin scales were first mentioned in ancient Chinese texts around 500 CE. They were thought to protect against ant bites and even cure certain ailments. Over time, beliefs about their uses grew, including helping women produce more milk and treating various health issues. Sadly, these beliefs continue to drive the hunting and trading of pangolins, even though their scales were removed from official medicine lists in 2020. Similar uses of pangolin parts exist in other Asian countries, where locals believe they can prevent illnesses like pneumonia.

Conservation

Pangolins are in danger because people sometimes take their skin, scales, and meat illegally. By January 2020, all eight kinds of pangolins were listed as threatened by the Red List of Threatened Species. A global plan called "Scaling up Pangolin Conservation" began in 2014 to help protect them. This plan works to stop poaching and trafficking.

Trying to breed pangolins in special homes has been hard because they need very specific care. In Taiwan, strong laws and special wildlife centers have helped protect pangolins and increase their numbers. These centers work with local people and police to stop illegal activities and support pangolin conservation.