There are 8 different species of pangolins.
“Pangolin” comes from the Malay word “penggulung” meaning “the one who rolls up.” Curling into an “armor ball” and emitting a pungent odor are their main defenses. They are mammals, docile and shy in nature.
They are the world’s most illegally poached animal, prized for their keratin scales which have no medicinal value.
The Pangolin’s closest relative are carnivores (dogs and cats).
In 2019 in Singapore, an illegal shipment from Nigeria consisting of 14 tons of Pangolin scales was seized, the equivalent of 72,000 pangolins.
They can live up to 45 years in the wild.
A single pangolin can eat up to 70,000 insects per year.
World Pangolin Day is the 3rd Saturday in Feb. each year.