World Pangolin Day

World Pangolin Day

World Pangolin Day will be celebrated on 18 February 2023.

The day aims to celebrate pangolins and raise awareness and to fight against the global capturing of pangolins in Africa and Asia and they are listed by the IUCN as critically endangered.

Pangolin, (family Manidae), also called scaly anteater, any of about eight species of armoured placental mammals of the family Manidae (order Pholidota). The name pangolin, from the Malay meaning “rolling over,” refers to this animal’s habit of curling into a ball when threatened. Pangolins which are typically classified in the genera Manis, species Phataginus, and Smutsia are found in tropical Asia and Africa. Pangolins are 30 to 90 cm long exclusive of the tail and weigh 5 to 27 kg. Across all eight species, adult tail length ranges from about 26 to 70 cm.Except for the sides of the face and underside of the body, they are covered with overlapping brownish scales composed of cemented hairs. The head is short and conical, with small thickly lidded eyes and a long toothless muzzle. The legs are short, and the five-toed feet have sharp claws. The tail is prehensile, and, with the hind legs, it forms a tripod for support.

They prefer sandy soils and can be found in woodlands and savannas that are within reach of water. This shy, harmless animal Pangolin eats ants, termites and larvae and are often known as ‘the scaly anteater’. Because they have no teeth, pangolins pick up food with their sticky tongues, which can sometimes reach lengths greater than the animal’s body. Pangolins have long snouts and even longer tongues, which they use to lap up ants and termites they excavate from mounds with their powerful front claws. They are able to close their noses and ears to keep ants out when they are eating.Pangolins are solitary and active mostly at night. Most live on the ground, but some, like the black-bellied pangolin, also climb trees.

– Source: Internet –