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A Mammals With Scale

 A Mammals With Scale

     The Mammals which eat ant as food is known as Pangolins. It is the order of Pholidota. It is also called Scaly Anteaters. They 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. It has three genera. They are Manis, Phataginus and Smuts. Manis comprises the four species found in Asia, while Phataginus and Smutsia include two species each, all found in sub-Saharan Africa. 


     These species range in size from 30 to 100 cm (12 to 39 in). It has no teeth. It chews with gravel and keratinous spines located include the stomach. They close their eyes and nostrils to keep insects out. Baby pangolin is carried back of mother pangolin.20percentage of pangolin’s weight carried out by scales. It marks their territories by urine, faeces and stinky secretion from a special gland. 

     A pangolin consumes 70 million ants per year. A number of extinct pangolins species are also known. It is nocturnal, and their diet consists of mainly ants and termites, which they capture using their long tongues. They tend to be solitary animals, meeting only to mate and produce a litter of one to three offspring, which they raise for about two years. It prefers sandy soils and can be found in woodlands and savannas that are within reach of the water. They are dispersed throughout Southern, Central, and East Africa. It becomes the most heavily trafficked wild mammal in the world. Up to 200,000 are estimated to be taken from the wild every year across Africa and Asia. 

     The scales typically dried and ground up into powder, which may be turned into a pill. It uses their scales as self-defence. Pangolin’s meat is prized as a delicacy in parts of China and Vietnam. In China, meat is believed to have nutritional value to aid kidney function. In Asia, pangolin scales, blood, and fetuses are used to purportedly treat conditions like liver problems, skin issues, palsy, and swelling, despite the fact they lack any medicinal or therapeutic value. 

     In 2016, a treaty of over 180 governments announced an agreement that would end all legal trade of pangolins and further protect the species from extinction. However, the illegal trade of the species continues. WWF, together with TRAFFIC, works to protect species from wildlife crime. In Asia, we work to reduce consumer demand for illegal wildlife products with campaigns and partnerships with governments and businesses. Wildlife crime is the greatest threat to pangolin, so you can join our Stop Wildlife Crime campaign and pledge to help threatened species including the pangolin.

Credits: Jothika MG

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