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Magnificent Pangolin: Scaled, "Precise" Animal


"QUANTUM SHOT" #813
Link - article by Avi Abrams




In a hole in the ground there lived a... pangolin.

Here at Dark Roasted Blend, we love pangolins. These are spectacularly strange, wildly fascinating creatures that combine traits of many diverse animals. Endangered, genetically unique and intrinsically awesome, this animal is truly, well, "precise". (as some of you may know, there is a current software release called "Precise Pangolin"). So, what exactly is so precise about them? Let's see...



(images credit: bottom row: Bjorn Olesen, WWF/TRAFFIC via National Geographic; right image courtesy age fotostock, top image Pangolinphoto)


Are they warm-blooded mammals? Yes. Are they covered in scales, as though in a suit of medieval armor, and do they look like miniature fantasy dragons? Yes and yes!


(image credit: Ian Mey)


Add to this extremely sharp claws (the scales are also sharp-edged, so it could be problematic to cuddle a full-grown animal), ability to expertly swing and hang around (thanks to a very strong tail), and wildly noxious-smelling acid that they use to mark their trails with. They lack the ability to spray this acid at enemies like skunks do, but they can do something just as extreme: retrace their own steps in pretty much any environment, so that they almost never get lost.


(image credit: Taipei Zoo)


(photo by Ian Mey)


Judging by their looks and behavior, it's easy to confuse pangolins with armadillos and anteaters. They do eat ants and often referred to as "scaly anteaters". However, their proper Pangolin name originates from the word pengguling which means to "roll up" (they roll up into a tight ball when threatened).


(image credit: Ian Mey)


Pangolin name hides another surprise: in Russian, various types of "Pangolin" family are translated as "Yascher" (Manis, genus of pangolins), which is an interesting word in itself. It's used to describe a giant lizard, or even a mythical dragon. Some theories link mythical "dragons" with pangolins: this kind of dragons would have scales and yet be essentially warm-blooded mammals, easier to relate to than cold reptiles.


The only mammal with keratin scales all over its body

There are eight different species of pangolin, some almost a meter long. They are found in tropical regions of Africa and Asia, with some species living in deep holes in the ground (like the Indian Pangolin), or preferring to live on trees. The Chinese and the Sunda Pangolin are particularly endangered, hunted and tragically close to extinction.


(images credit: Tahara, via)


Here is the endangered Chinese Pangolin species (Manis pentadactyla):


(Chinese Pangolin, image credit: D. Finnin, American Museum of Natural History)


This little girl is called Baba, she is from San Diego Zoo (left image). On the right is their typical hanging pose:


(images credit: Ion Moe, dotpolka)


This picture shows why pangolins are often compared with pine cones... a walking pine cone! -


(image via)


Pangolins display a considerable hanging power (seen in Nigeria, Taraba State, Gashaka-Gumpti National Park). On the right is great little Tree Pangolin (Manis tricuspis) seen in the San Diego Zoo:


(images credit: Leeks, Nikolai Usik)

Hanging from the hand of a boy seller in Africa... most likely this guy will be sold and promptly eaten:


(image via)


Roll up! Hang Loose!

Here are some typical pangolin postures (a boon to photographers): resting in the palm of your hand, all rolled up, or wrapped around a tree (they can even strip a bark off a tree with their strong tail):


(image credit: Svetlana Luneva)


(image credit: Owen Elias)


Up close and personal - photographed in Liberia, Africa:


(image credit: Robert Howard)


Self-Regenerating Armor and the Immense Coiled Tongue

Pangolin scales never stop growing, with new ones replacing the old continually (though their overall number remains the same). They are made from the same keratin that human fingernails are made of. Just like fingernails, these scales evolved from fused hairs, and so have nothing in common with the armored skin of reptiles, like say, crocodiles' bony "osteoderm" scales.


(Illustration by Hein Nouwens, courtesy Shutterstock)


Pangolins have to eat small stones to help with digestion, because - another surprise - they have no teeth. They do, however, possess astonishing appetite, routinely eating up to 70 million insects in one year. Their tongue (which they share through convergent evolution with anteaters) can be as long as 40cm, half a meter long; it's unattached to the bone in their mouth and is folded deep inside the animal. Tongue out! -


(left image credit: Callie de Wet)


Awww! Ahhhh! Impossibly Cute!

Baby Pangolin is probably the closest thing to a Pokemon character in real life (think "Sandshrew"... or "Sandslash" in its angrier moods. Google images of these characters, you'll see what I mean).

This baby was rescued in Sierra-Leone and is doing quite well: see the latest photos of this guy and updates on his progress here:


(image credit: Tim Hudson and Kamal Mistry, via)

Note the very prominent ear-hole: pangolin ear cavity looks remarkably like a rudimentary human ear, but unlike humans, they can close their ear and nostril cavities to protect themselves from ant bites.

Pangolin mother and baby: such an endearing pair! -


(images via 1, 2)


Drinking milk is another photogenic activity. This baby was found on the road near Bangkok and was brought to Dusit Zoo to recuperate:


(image credit: AP Photo/Sakchai Lalito, via)


Baby Pangolin named Gurvinek learns to walk in a Russian household. Yana, the mother pangolin, was bought from street vendor in Vietnam (and saved from being eaten), brought to Moscow, where she gave birth to an adorable baby pangolin; read English translation of Tatiana Neklioudova's experience in taking care for this wonderful pair here.


(images credit: Tatiana Neklioudova)

One thing to note, "all of this was happening in the early 1990s and since then, pangolins have become more endangered and the laws have changed to protect them. Raising pangolins like this would not be possible today. They are NOT house pets. Pangolins should never be taken out of their environment to become pets."


Hunted, sold, cooked, and eaten - in staggering quantities

In China and many parts of Africa pangolin meat is considered a delicacy... plus their scales are sought-after for medicinal qualities. This reckless hunting is going on for centuries. For example, this early 19th century Rajastan armour coat is covered with the scales of pangolin, embellished with gold (originally it also came with a scale-covered helmet). This unique armour is on display in Leeds Royal Armouries, as it was presented to the King George III, back in 1820:


(images via 1, 2)


Here is a pair of pangolin shoes from Japan (left, possibly fake) and the Chinese medicine on the right:


(images via 1, National Geographic)


Lions chew on pangolins in Tanzania in this rare series of photographs:


(images credit: Mark Sheridan-Johnson, via)


Rich, Exotic Presence of Pangolins in Art

Ancient Pangolin chairs were made in Africa, by Senufi People from Mali and Burkina-Faso area:


(images via)


Here is the 19th century illustration from Meyers Konversations-Lexik, 1897:


(image credit: Hein Nouwens, via Shutterstock)


Here is a pangolin teapot, made by Lauren C. (left) - and a Pangolin-inspired backpack on the right:


(images credit: Lauren C., Cyclus)


Famous origami artist Eric Joisel made a paper sculpture of Pangolin in 1997:


(images via 1, 2)


Pangolins are often featured on postage stamps, here is one from Vietnam, circa 1965 (left):


(left image credit: brandonht, via Shutterstock.com, right images via)


And we finish our brief look at pangolins with a picture that just might make your day: a caring pangolin mother warmly sheltering her baby -


(original unknown)

Article by Avi Abrams, Dark Roasted Blend.


CONTINUE TO "AWESOME PLATYPUS!" ->

Also Read: "ANTEATER COOLNESS" ->

Read the rest of our "ANIMALS" category ->





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YOUR COMMENTS::

5 Comments:

Anonymous Rick said...

~cough~ubuntu~cough

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Blogger Hirayuki said...

The first thing that came to mind was "artichoke". :)

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Anonymous Anonymous said...

I used to see dead pangolins on and alongside the highways in Malaysia, run over by cars. Such a shame for these beautiful animals to be killed by cars.

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Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sehr schöner Post.

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Anonymous Anonymous said...

Stunning creation

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