Quiz: How Much You Know About World Pangolin Day?

Pangolins are sometimes known as scaly anteaters due to their large, protective keratin scales that cover their skin. These scales, similar in material to fingernails and toenails, serve as a unique feature among mammals and provide protection to pangolins in their natural habitats.

Pangolin scales are similar in material to fingernails and toenails. These scales, made of keratin, provide protection to the pangolin and are a unique feature among mammals. The durability and strength of these scales make them an effective defense mechanism against predators, contributing to the pangolin's survival in its natural habitat.

Pangolin numbers are rapidly declining due to poaching for their scales and meat. The demand for pangolin scales, driven by beliefs in their medicinal properties, and the consumption of pangolin meat as a delicacy in some cultures contribute to the serious threat faced by these unique mammals.

Pangolins spend most of the daytime sleeping and exhibit a behavior known as "volvation," where they curl up into a ball. This protective posture helps safeguard their vulnerable underside, including their softer belly, from potential threats. The nocturnal nature of pangolins aligns with their preference for activity during the night.

To raise awareness about pangolins and their endangered status. It serves as an opportunity for pangolin enthusiasts to unite and inform the public about the threats facing these unique mammals, including the demand for their scales and meat.

Pangolins are insectivorous, and their primary diet consists of various species of ants and termites. They use their well-developed sense of smell to locate insects and capture them using their long tongues. Pangolins are known for their specialized diet focused on ants and termites, with a preference for one or two species.

World Pangolin Day 2023 was celebrated on 18 February 2023. This annual event aims to raise awareness about pangolins, shedding light on the challenges they face and promoting efforts for their conservation.

The demand for pangolins comes mostly from China. Pangolin scales are believed to have medicinal properties in traditional Chinese medicine, and pangolin flesh is considered a delicacy in some Chinese cultures. This high demand poses a significant threat to pangolin populations.

As of January 2020, three species of pangolin—Manis culionensis, M. pentadactyla, and M. javanica—are listed as critically endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species. This classification underscores the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect these species from further decline and potential extinction.

Phataginus tetradactyla, one of the pangolin species, is classified as vulnerable on the Red List of Threatened Species. While not as critically endangered as some other species, this designation still signifies the need for conservation actions to prevent further declines in their populations.