The Pangolin: Clad In Scales

The pangolin is one of nature's most unique animals. A creature that is often described as an anteater combined with a pinecone. On this page we will be briefly going over some facts about about these cool looking creature as a way to practice using HTML Elements.

A pangolin walking over gravel — A. J. T. Johnsingh, WWF-India and NCF - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

What is a Pangolin?

Also known as the scaly anteater, pangolins are a species of mammals known for their unique protective hide made of large scales that give an almost reptilian appearance. These scales are made from keratin and are more like fingernails than actual scales. Despite their nickname, long tongues, and diet of mostly ants and termites they are not closely related to anteaters. Nor are they related to another armored mammal, the armadillo. These similarities are simply examples of convergent evolution.

Root, A., Survival Anglia Ltd, & Time-Life Video. (1995). The Termite zone. Time Life Video. Via Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/TheTermiteZone

What Does A Pangolin Sound Like?

It is actually quite difficult to get a reliably sourced recording of what Pangolins sound like, so instead here is a recording of one rolling around in the dirt. You can hear how much its scales grind and crunch on the gravel.

Audio from: Young, B. (Director). (2019, May 17). Eye of the Pangolin: The search for an animal on the edge [Video]. Pangolin Africa. Retrieved February 17, 2025, from https://www.pangolin.africa/the-film

Where can they be found?

Pangolin Facts:

Most pangolins are nocturnal
The name pangolins comes from the Malay word pengguling which means one who rolls up.
They can curl up like an armadillo to protect themselves from predators
They can emit a noxious-smelling chemical from glands near their anus similar to skunks
Pangolins are the most trafficked animal in the world
Many species of pangolins are critically endangered
They are mostly poached because their meat and scales are used in traditional medicine.
They were once thought to be a vector for the human transmission of COVID-19. This was later debunked, but it sadly still lead to mass killings of the animal.

All information on this page was paraphrased from the wikipedia entry for Pangolin.
Wikipedia contributors. (2025, January 23). Pangolin. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:48, February 4, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pangolin&oldid=1271258482

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