The pangolin, native to parts of Africa and Asia, is the most heavily trafficked non-human mammal in the world. Pangolins are traded for their scales, which are used in traditional medicines. The main demand for pangolin scales is from Asia, especially China and Vietnam. They are the only mammals covered entirely in scales – a defence mechanism that works well in the wild, but is no match for humans.
Pangolins are mammals of the order Pholidota, of which there is one extant family, Manidae, with three genera: Manis includes four species in Asia, and Phataginus and Smutsia each comprise two species in Africa. They are the only mammal known to have a layer of large, protective keratin scales covering their skin. Though sometimes known by the common name “scaly anteater,” and formerly considered to be in the same order as anteaters, they are taxonomically distant, grouped with Carnivora under the clade Ferae.
Pangolin behavior varies by species, with some living on the ground, in burrows, and some living in trees. A common predator, big cats, struggle to contend with pangolins’ scales when rolled up. But while well-equipped to defend against natural predators, they are easily caught by poachers, who simply pick up the animals when they roll into a ball.
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