Pangolin (Anteater)

Pangolin (Scaly Anteater) 

Pangolins are solitary, nocturnal creatures that hide in darkness and burrow during the day. Pangolin is a critically endangered species. If we do not take care of their conservation, they will not disappear from the face of the earth forever.

A special ability to roll into a ball to escape is the most important characteristic of the pangolin (Manis crassicaudata). Walk very little, If you see it, you will mistake it for a type of reptile that is related to the crocodile. But they are not among the crawling, egg-reproducing reptiles.  It is a mammal. They also have the name scaly anteater.

There are eight species of pangolin in the world. They are found in Asia. Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis), Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) and Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). There are four similar ones in Africa. Blck-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla), white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis), giant ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) and Temminck's ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii).

Their favorite food is ants, Termites, and their eggs and larvae. The protection of these organisms is the outer part, which is made up of layers of tough armor scales made of keratin. The 11th to 13th rows will be outside. The body has a total of 160 to 200 scaly scales. The Chinese scaly does not have the apical scaly that the Indian pangolin has. 

With long clawed forelegs when in front of enemies, the head is encased and the entire body is exposed with only the metal armor-like outer shell. The shape will be like a pine seed. He will also try to knock the enemy away with the sharp blade of the tail. If there is no rescue, the whole thing will be rolled up like a ball and lie dead. As well as being able to curl up, the color of their scales also helps them to hide. Due to the color of the dust, if you lie still, sometimes the predators escape without being seen.  The female pangolin is smaller than the male and has an additional pair of breasts.

They have a habit of sticking their sticky long tongues into their burrows and crevices and sucking in termites and ants. Likes to eat certain types of beetles and cockroaches. there are no teeth in the mouth, the food reaches the stomach without chewing. Small pebbles, soil, sand, and plant parts on the tongue will reach the stomach. The strong muscles of the stomach grind and grind the food by adding sand and stones. Being nocturnal, they have a good sense of smell. So there is no problem in detecting termites and ant nests under the soil by smell.

The pangolin is widely hunted for its meat, pelts, and skin. Since ancient times, the Chinese have killed and eaten it mainly in the belief that it is an aphrodisiac. It is a false belief that these shells also have that ability. But as such there is no evidence that they have medicinal properties. They are even killed to make shoes and bags using their skin. It is the most smuggled mammal. Despite the Chinese and Vietnamese belief that they have great power in traditional medicine, the use of their carapace shells as medicine in traditional medicine has been banned, but poaching and smuggling of them continue unabated.