Like their fellow armored mammals, armadillos, pangolins can roll themselves up into a well-protected ball, especially if they’re touched or grabbed. They are also armed with sharp tail spikes that can be used as a weapon. But these creatures typically aren’t a danger to anything much bigger than an unsuspecting bug.
These solitary, primarily nocturnal animals, are easily recognized by their full armor of scales. A startled pangolin will cover its head with its front legs, exposing its scales to any potential predator. If touched or grabbed it will roll up completely into a ball, while the sharp scales on the tail can be used to lash out.
Despite laws to protect wildlife like pangolins, however, their trade has continued, writes journalist Wufei Yu in an opinion piece for The New York Times. Yu delves into the history of pangolin as a delicacy and medical treatment-and finds that ancient texts actually advise against eating pangolin.
What is a pangolin?
Pangolins are hunted and eaten in many parts of Africa and are one of the more popular types of bush meat, while local healers use the pangolin as a source of traditional medicine.
While they are a potent defence against predators, their scales are useless against poachers, and all eight species in Asia and Africa are now under threat. Over the past decade, over a million pangolins have been illegally taken from the wild to feed demand in China and Vietnam.
What are some interesting facts about a pangolin?
Pangolins consume insects, including ants and termites, for most of their diet. Their poor eyesight causes them to rely on their other senses, like smell and hearing. Pangolins are one of the most trafficked animals in some parts of the world even though they’re protected animals.
A total of 101 smuggled pangolins are secured at the Natural Resources Conservation Center Riau, Pekanbaru, Indonesia.
Another thing we wanted the answer to was, how many Pangolins are poached each year?
The most frequent answer is; this is equivalent to about 360,000 pangolins being poached according to a report by the Wildlife Justice Commission entitled Scaling up – The Rapid Growth in the Industrial Scale Trafficking of Pangolin Scales.
When is world pangolin day?
World Pangolin Day is an opportunity for pangolin enthusiasts to join together in raising awareness about these unique mammals — and their plight.
This begs the question “Why do we celebrate World Pangolin Day?”
This World Pangolin Day, we celebrate the scaly anteaters, but also commit to protecting them.
What is World Pangolin Day 2021?
World pangolin day 2021: saving the world’s most trafficked animal February 19, 2021 A Sunda pangolin successfully released into the wild after undergoing rehabilitation with 1Stop. Brunei Wildlife Clinic in Borneo.
A common question we ran across in our research was “When is World Pangolin Day in 2022?”.
One frequent answer is, the ELEVENTH annual World Pangolin Day will be celebrated on 19 February 2022! World Pangolin Day is an opportunity for pangolin enthusiasts to join together in raising awareness about these unique mammals — and their plight.
Are pangolins nocturnal or diurnal?
Most pangolins are nocturnal animals that use their well-developed sense of smell to find insects. The long-tailed pangolin is also active by day, while other species of pangolins spend most of the daytime sleeping, curled up into a ball. They are considered to be shy and secretive creatures.