Pangolins can emit a noxious-smelling chemical from glands near the anus, 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.
What is a pangolin?
Pangolins are hunted and eaten in many parts of Africa and are one of the more popular types of bush meat, while local healers use the pangolin as a source of traditional medicine .
One of the next things we wanted the answer to was; are there any animals that are similar to pangolins?
One idea is that there are dozens of extinct species that were either related to or descended from pangolins, including the necromanis . These creatures were also ground- and tree-dwelling insectivores that had scales, tails, and claws just like pangolins.
While I was writing we ran into the question “What are the characteristics of a pangolin?”.
The answer is that Pangolins have large, protective keratin scales 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.
Do pangolins eat ants?
Pangolins have very poor vision. They also lack teeth. They rely heavily on smell and hearing, and they have other physical characteristics to help them eat ants and termites . Their skeletal structure is sturdy and they have strong front legs that are useful for tearing into termite mounds.
What do pangolins do at night?
Solitary animals, pangolins are active mostly at night. Many live on the ground, but some, like the black-bellied pangolin, also climb trees. Like anteaters, pangolins have long snouts and even longer tongues, which they use to snack on ants and termites they dig up from mounds with their powerful front claws.
You could be wondering “Are pangolins nocturnal or diurnal?”
I most pangolins are nocturnal animals that use their well-developed sense of smell to find insects. The long-tailed pangolin is also active by day, while other species of pangolins spend most of the daytime sleeping, curled up into a ball. They are considered to be shy and secretive creatures.