The Pangolin is an animal that resembles somewhat of an anteater, but has extremely hard armored scales that give the Pangolin added protection against potential predators. As interesting as the Pangolin is, unfortunately the overall species of the Pangolin has very little to no records of its ecology, population distribution, or the overall life and contextual history. As there are different types of Pangolins in different geographic locations such as Africa and southern to southeastern Asia, most Pangolins are still relatively under studied. The Pangolin is most notably known for its outer aesthetics, as it is quite an odd creature to look at, and at a distance people with no prior knowledge about the creature have mistaken claimed that is was a giant prehistoric lizard or even a wingless dragon. The Pangolin usually weighs anywhere from 45-60 pounds depending on the gender and geographic location, and are predominately carnivores that live as long as 10 to 14 years in captivity. Pangolins only have one offspring after birth, but no scientists are sure as to how long the pregnancies last or how long the period is before they can be impregnated again. Aside from its aesthetically interesting scaly body, the armored Pangolin uses its scales as a protective measure against prey. These nocturnal creatures are able to curl into a ball where only an extremely strong or skilled hunter like that of a lion, tiger, or more commonly a human can get to it.
As interesting and neat as these scaled anteater lookalike creatures are, they are also one of the most exploited creatures sold and traded within the underground Asian animal market. The Pangolin is currently known and recognized by conservation institutions as the one of the most critically endangered mammals in the present day world. Even with the various governmental agencies passing laws against the trade and hunting of these unique nocturnal creatures, the Pangolin is still being sold at extremely high rates in the underground market. As most times they are kept for pets, the Pangolin is rarely successful in captivity, as it needs extremely attentive care and the correct and proper food in order for it to survive. However, since the awareness about the possible extinction of these animals has been spread worldwide, there have been numerous recent efforts from countries all around the globe to help stop this wide spread epidemic from continuing. It is thought that if the trade of these animals is not stopped that the possibility of Pangolins going completely extinct can be seen within the next 15 to 30 years.
