Pangolins

Pangolins, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, are mammals found in Asia and in sub-Saharan Africa. These animals have large, protective keratin scales, similar in material to fingernails and toenails, covering their skin, they are the only known mammals with this feature. They live in hollow trees or burrows, depending on the species. Pangolins are nocturnal, and their diet consists of mainly ants and termites, which they capture using their long tongues. They usually spend time singly, meeting only to mate and produce a litter of 1-3 offspring, which they raise for about 2 years. Pangolins can emit a noxious-smelling chemical from glands under their tails, similar to the spray of a skunk. They have short legs, with sharp claws which they use for burrowing into ant and termite mounds and for climbing. Some species, such as the Tree pangolin, use their strong, prehensile tails to hang from tree branches and strip away bark from the trunk, exposing insect nests inside. Pangolins are endangered animals. They suffer from hunting for their meat and scales, which are used in traditional medicine, and heavy deforestation of their natural habitats, and they are the most trafficked mammals in the world.