The Most Trafficked Mammal in the World - Pangolins.

Pangolins are the only mammal in the world that are covered with scales. They are often referred to as scaly anteaters as they also eat ants and termites with a long sticky tongue.

They are a fascinating species and today (20th February 2016) is World Pangolin Day, which is a great opportunity to raise awareness about this unique creature and the current threats they face.

There are eight different species of pangolin which are found across Asia and Africa.

African pangolins:

• Cape or Temminck’s Ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) – Vulnerable

Photo by Nigel J. Dennis

• White-bellied or Tree pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) – Vulnerable

Photo: APWG, Zoological Society of London.

• Giant Ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) – Vulnerable

• Black-bellied or Long-tailed pangolin  (Phataginus tetradactyla) – Vulnerable

Photo by Rod Cassidy.

Asian pangolins:

• Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) – Critically Endangered

• Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) – Critically Endangered

• Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) – Endangered

Photo by Rajesh Kumar Mohapatra.

•  Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis) – Endangered

Photo by Roger Dolorosa.

Pangolins are under threat from the illegal trade in their scales and flesh. They are one of the most trafficked mammals in Asia but increasingly in Africa. As you can see by the above list the effect the illegal trade is having on the Asian populations is very significant, with all species listed as endangered. Although the African species are currently listed as vulnerable, the problem is spreading and increasingly impacting these species also.

The pangolin got its common name from the Malay word 'pengguling', meaning 'rolling up', in reference to their defence mechanism of rolling into a tight ball when threatened. Unfortunately, this makes it even easier for them to be captured and smuggled, as hunters can simply pick them up.

Nobody knows for sure exactly how long they live. It is presumed that pangolins have an estimated lifespan of twenty years in the wild, since the oldest recorded pangolin lived for 19 years in captivity. They are very rarely found in zoos as time spent in captivity tends to bring about stress and malnutrition, leading to early death. As such, it is unknown how long a pangolin can actually live for making this interesting creature even more mysterious.

For more information you can watch the short video below and visit:
http://pangolins.org or http://savepangolins.org.