Pangolins, also called scaly anteaters, are insectivorous mammals characterized by sharp, overlapping keratinized scales on their bodies. Although they look like anteaters (order Pilosa) and armadillos (order Cingulata), they belong to a separate group, Pholidota. They are found in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa and inhabit various habitats, ranging from tropical and swamp forests to grasslands and cultivated plantations.
These mammals primarily feed on termites and ants, which they capture using their exceptionally long tongues (which can be almost half the length of the animal’s head and body when extended fully). Being nocturnal, they are active at night while spending most of the day curled up in a ball to rest. Generally harmless, these shy and solitary mammals come together only during the mating season.
Currently, 8 species of pangolins are grouped under 3 subfamilies: Maninae (Asian pangolins), Phatagininae (Small African pangolins), and Smutsiinae (Large African pangolins). All species are listed under the IUCN Red List and belong to Appendix I of CITES. This is mostly because pangolins are trafficked for their scales, as well as meat. In fact, they are the most trafficked animal in the world, the reason why their populations are declining at an alarming rate.
They typically range between 30 to 100 cm (12 to 39 in) in length. The largest species, the giant ground pangolin, measures up to 1.8 m (70.8 in) and weighs around 33 kg (72.7 lb), whereas the smallest, the long-tailed pangolin, is only about 80 cm long and weighs barely 1.6 kg (3.5 lb).
Males are larger and typically weigh 40% more than females.
These scaly mammals are characterized by hard and sharp overlapping scales on their bodies that resemble artichoke leaves or pine cones. These scales are composed of keratin (the component of nails and claws) and vary in color from light brown to olive or dark brown. However, their undersides are devoid of these scales and instead have sparse fur.
With pointed snouts and small, poorly sighted eyes, their conical heads feature toothless jaws and remarkably long tongues perfectly suited for catching flying insects. In large species, like the giant pangolin, the tongue has a diameter of about 0.5 cm and extends up to 70 cm. The root of the tongue lies between the sternum and the trachea instead of the hyoid bone.
They have stout legs, with each foot having five toes. The forefeet possesses three long, curved claws that help dig the soil. Most pangolins have a prehensile tail (semi-prehensile, in some cases, like the white-bellied and Sunda pangolin) that helps to grip tree branches and swim.
They bear a superficial resemblance to armadillos; however, they have small, rounded ears rather than the pointed ears of armadillos. Unlike armadillos, pangolins are toothless.
The name Pholidota derives from an Ancient Greek word, which translates to ‘clad in scales,’ while the term ‘pangolin’ comes from the Malay word pengguling, which refers to ‘one who rolls up.’ The latter was first used for the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica), which rolls onto itself for defense.
The 8 extant species of pangolins are grouped under 3 subfamilies: Maninae (Asian pangolins), Phatagininae (Small African pangolins), and Smutsiinae (Large African pangolins). All subfamilies belong to the only extant family, Manidae, under the suborder Eupholidata.
Though Pholidota was initially considered to be a sister group to xenarthrans (superorder Xenarthra), including anteaters, sloths, and armadillos, recent genetic studies reveal that they are the closest relatives of carnivorans (order Carnivora). Together, Carnivora and Pholidota form a clade called Ferae. The carnivorans and pangolins are believed to have diverged around 79.47 million years ago, while Asian and African pangolins are believed to have split around 41.37 million years ago.
As their name suggests, the four Asian pangolins – the Chinese, Indian, Palawan, and Sunda pangolins – are found in Asia, while the giant, white-bellied, ground, and long-tailed pangolins live in sub-Saharan Africa.
These mammals occupy a variety of habitats (particularly those rich in insects), including tropical and swamp forests, savannah grasslands, and even cleared agricultural lands and plantations.
While arboreal species, like the Sunda and the white-bellied pangolin, inhabit hollow tree logs, ground-dwelling species, such as the ground pangolin, take refuge in subterranean tunnels.
These animals are insectivores that prefer eating ants (hence also called scaly anteaters) and termites, including their larvae. They may also occasionally supplement their diet with other small invertebrates, such as flies, worms, earthworms, crickets, and bee larvae. Despite encountering a wide range of insects, pangolins eat any one or two species at maximum.
Pangolins are mostly nocturnal, spending their days asleep, curled into a ball. This posture serves as a natural defense mechanism, protecting them with their tough scales against potential threats. These animals are generally solitary, coming together only during the breeding season.
Although pangolins mostly use the entire foot pad on their rear limbs for locomotion, some species also walk with their front claws bent under the foot pad. They may sometimes exhibit bipedal locomotion by walking just on two legs.
Pangolins are agile runners and occasionally stand on their hind limbs to sniff the air. Some species, like the white-bellied and the long-tailed pangolin, are good swimmers, too, and use their tails to propel forward, just like snakes.
The ground pangolin primarily lives on the ground, whereas the white-bellied and Sunda pangolins spend most of their time in trees, hanging from branches with their semi-prehensile tails.
These animals dig burrows in the soil using their front legs and claws while they use their tails and rear legs for support. The tough scales excavate the sides and roofs of these burrows. They then accumulate the excavated soil at the entrance of the burrow using their legs.
Chinese pangolins in temperate regions spend most of their winters in these burrows. They cleverly dig these burrows in proximity to termite nests so that they do not have to travel in the cold.
They use their keen sense of smell to locate prey. On finding a suitable source, they break open mounds, stumps, and fallen logs with their claws, lapping in the insects with their long, sticky tongue.
When threatened, these mammals quickly curl up into a ball (volvation), exposing their hard scales to their enemies. They also lash their sharp-edged tails at them, accompanied by hissing and puffing.
Sometimes, they also secrete a foul-smelling chemical from skin glands near their anus to ward off their enemies.
While their lifespan in the wild remains unknown, pangolins live up to 20 years in captivity.
These mammals usually mate only once every year, generally during the summer or autumn. The males mark their territories with feces or urine, which females can locate easily. At night, they gather near a watering hole to mate, with males using their tails to fight off rivals attempting to approach the female.
After a gestation period of about 70 to 140 days, the females mostly give birth to a single offspring. However, the four Asiatic species may give birth to up to three young. At birth, the young are about 150 mm (6 in) long, weigh around 80 to 450 gm, and have soft, white scales. With time, their scales darken and harden like those of adults.
The mother pangolin stays with her young in a burrow, nursing it with milk and shielding it from predators. The offspring often clings to the mother’s tail, traveling wherever she goes. In contrast, burrowing species remain inside their burrows for the first 2 to 4 weeks after birth. By around 3 months, the young begin eating independently and are weaned. They reach sexual maturity at around 2 years of age when the mother abandons them to live on their own.
They are preyed upon by pythons and carnivorans, like lions, leopards, and hyenas.
Although it is almost impossible to estimate the exact number of individuals left in the wild due to their shy and elusive nature, their populations are constantly declining. Currently, the 8 species of pangolins are listed in the IUCN Red List under the following categories:
| Species | IUCN Category |
|---|---|
| Chinese Pangolin, Sunda Pangolin, Palawan pangolin, Indian pangolin | Critically Endangered (CR) |
| White-bellied pangolin, Giant pangolin | Endangered (EN) |
| Ground pangolin, Long-tailed pangolin | Vulnerable (VU) |
Additionally, all species are also listed under Appendix I of CITES.
The scales of pangolins are in high demand in southern China and Vietnam due to their medicinal value. In fact, they are the most trafficked animal in the world, with an estimated 100,000 individuals smuggled to these regions each year.
Moreover, their meat is consumed in countries like Ghana and Nigeria, where these animals are almost on the brink of extinction due to overexploitation.
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