Hello everyone! Apologies for being so quiet on here lately. At the moment I am investing all my social media energies into the spectacular animal pictured above - which unfortunately also holds the status of the most illegally traded mammal in the world.
Pangolins are extraordinary animals. They are the world’s only truly scaly mammals, and when curled up, this tough coat of armour makes them almost completely predator-proof! Pangolins are expert anteaters, consuming more than 70 million ants and termites per year with a sticky tongue so incredibly long that it is rooted in their pelvis. Whilst raiding the nests of their prey, they are able to seal their eyes, ears and nostrils shut in order to protect them from swarming ants and their bites or stings, while their scales keep them away from their skin. Sadly, while these scales are an excellent adaptation to the pangolin’s natural environment and lifestyle, they also put them at great risk of wildlife trafficking. Made of keratin, the same as rhino horn and just like our hair or fingernails, they are believed to have medicinal properties in parts of Asia and Africa, which has led to unsustainable levels of poaching and illegal trade of these unique and fascinating creatures.
To come top in this would be an AMAZING boost for raising awareness of pangolins and the threats they face as the most illegally trafficked mammals on the planet. World Pangolin Day is also coming up on the 20th of February and it would really add to our celebrations for Sunda pangolins to have just been crowned the world’s favourite underappreciated species!
To find out more about why Sunda pangolins deserve a whole lotta love read our blog post here and then please cast your vote for the Sunda pangolin before midnight PST tomorrow!!
Thank you all and please share far and wide to help spread the love :)
Follow usonFacebookandTwitter for loads more interesting facts as we count down to World Pangolin Day 2016!
Happy Valentine’s Day!!
There are just over 11 hours left before voting closes - share your love for pangolins today by getting in your votefor the Sunda pangolin in Arkive’s poll for the world’s favourite unloved species!
Hello everyone! Apologies for being so quiet on here lately. At the moment I am investing all my social media energies into the spectacular animal pictured above - which unfortunately also holds the status of the most illegally traded mammal in the world.
Pangolins are extraordinary animals. They are the world’s only truly scaly mammals, and when curled up, this tough coat of armour makes them almost completely predator-proof! Pangolins are expert anteaters, consuming more than 70 million ants and termites per year with a sticky tongue so incredibly long that it is rooted in their pelvis. Whilst raiding the nests of their prey, they are able to seal their eyes, ears and nostrils shut in order to protect them from swarming ants and their bites or stings, while their scales keep them away from their skin. Sadly, while these scales are an excellent adaptation to the pangolin’s natural environment and lifestyle, they also put them at great risk of wildlife trafficking. Made of keratin, the same as rhino horn and just like our hair or fingernails, they are believed to have medicinal properties in parts of Asia and Africa, which has led to unsustainable levels of poaching and illegal trade of these unique and fascinating creatures.
To come top in this would be an AMAZING boost for raising awareness of pangolins and the threats they face as the most illegally trafficked mammals on the planet. World Pangolin Day is also coming up on the 20th of February and it would really add to our celebrations for Sunda pangolins to have just been crowned the world’s favourite underappreciated species!
To find out more about why Sunda pangolins deserve a whole lotta love read our blog post here and then please cast your vote for the Sunda pangolin before midnight PST tomorrow!!
Thank you all and please share far and wide to help spread the love :)
SUNDA PANGOLIN is one of 8 species of pangolin, and these little guys are from Southeast Asia. Sunda Pangolin or Malayan Pangolin prefer forests and may burrow in trees like this one. Their unique scales, (which are made out of same protein as our hair and nails!) are great protection for them when they are feasting on ant colonies that probably won’t like that very much.
Other than their large, curved claws, their super long tongue and super sticky saliva are great for digging into those trees and log to find their meal. They also walk on their hind legs while balancing with their long tail, giving them a super cute and funny walk.
They are unfortunately one of the world’s most trafficked mammals due to their meat being considered a delicacy and their scales being used in traditional medicine throughout Asia. Them reproducing only once per year doesn’t really help. If we want to keep those termites out of our houses and a stable balance in our ecosystem, as well as just to keep these cool guys around, we should continue to spread awareness and protect them!
Hey folks! As I have a slow traffic on tumblr, I am going to continue to post these individual pages here, for those whoever stumbles across them. And those who choose to take a closer look at each of the month’s illustrations before deciding to purchase one instead of keeping some as a surprise.
I also do enjoy writing out a little description for each of these creatures. <3
