Pangolin

The Pangolin, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, are mammals of the order Pholidota. Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia are the three genera that make up the only living family, the Manidae. Manis includes the two species found in sub-Saharan Africa and the four species found in Asia, whereas Phataginus and Smutsia each have two species. The sizes of these species range from 30 to 100 cm (12 to 39 in). There are also a few known extinct pangolin species.

Pangolins are the only known mammals with huge, protective keratin scales covering their skin; these scales resemble fingernails and toes in terms of substance. Depending on the species, they either reside in tunnels or hollow trees. Because they are nocturnal, pangolins mostly consume ants and termites, which they catch with their long tongues. They are mostly solitary creatures that only come together to mate and give birth to a litter of one to three young, which they rear for roughly two years.

Pangolins are among the most traded mammals in the world, and they are threatened by poaching (for their meat and scales, which are used in traditional medicine) and severe destruction of their natural habitats. There are eight pangolin species whose conservation status is listed in the threatened tier as of January 2020.