Philippine Pangolin

Fascinating facts about the Philippine Pangolin

• The Philippine pangolin can extend its tongue up to 25 cm, a length comparable to a ruler, and the tip is coated in a sticky saliva that helps it capture insects. This adhesive tongue works together with its powerful forefeet, which it uses to dig into termite mounds and rotting logs. By inserting the long tongue into the tunnels, the pangolin efficiently harvests ants and termites without breaking the colony.
• When a scale falls off, the Philippine pangolin promptly grows a replacement, yet the total number of scales never changes from birth to old age. Its body is cloaked in small triangular keratin plates that cover every part except the underbelly and face, contributing at least 20 % of its overall weight. Newborns start with softer, lighter scales that harden as they mature, maintaining the same count throughout life.
• Keratin scales form a protective coat over the Philippine pangolin, accounting for at least 20 % of its mass and giving it a heavy, armour-like exterior. Only the belly and face are free of these plates, leaving those areas covered by a thin layer of hair. The scales appear in shades of brown, yellow and olive, which blend with the forest floor and provide adequate camouflage at night.
• Reticulated pythons are the only wild animals recorded to prey on the Philippine pangolin, making them its sole natural predator. Humans also hunt the species heavily for its meat and scales, but no other wildlife is known to attack it. This limited predation pressure means that, aside from human exploitation, the pangolin faces very little danger from other carnivores in its forest habitat.
• The pangolin's tail is prehensile, enabling it to grasp branches and help the animal stand upright on its hind legs while navigating the canopy. This ability also assists in climbing and provides a stable platform for balance when the animal is on the ground. In addition, the tail can be swung like a spear, its sharp scales puncturing any attacker that threatens the pangolin.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia

At a glance

About the Philippine Pangolin

In the depths of the Philippine forest, a curious creature stirs, its scaly armor glistening like polished onyx as it roots through the underbrush with an almost ethereal slowness. The Philippine Pangolin, a shy and enigmatic being, moves through its world with a quiet determination, its powerful claws and whip-like tail deftly navigating the tangled vegetation as it searches for the ants and termites that sustain it. As it curls into a defensive ball, its interlocking scales a formidable shield against predators, we are reminded of the remarkable, if fragile, existence of this critically endangered species.

More mammals to discover

Browse Feravox