Mouth: Lacks teeth. Possesses a long, sticky tongue.
Scales: The entire body, from head to tail, is covered in keratin scales. These scales overlap like roof tiles.
Belly: The underside of the abdomen lacks scales; the skin is thick and has stiff hairs.
Coloration: Scale color typically ranges from dark brown to yellow or pale yellow. Albino individuals may exist, likely due to long-term confinement in burrows.
Scale Arrangement:
17 rows of scales run lengthwise along the body.
11-13 rows of scales run across the body.
The tail has 25 rows of scales lengthwise and 8 rows across (3 rows on the upper surface, 3 rows on the lower surface, and 2 rows on the edges).
Claws: The front claws (nails) are longer than the hind claws, with the middle claw being particularly well-developed.
Biology and Ecology:
Diet: Primarily feeds on termites, ants, and other small ground-dwelling insects. Occasionally consumes grass and decaying leaves.
Reproduction: Mating occurs in October. Gestation period ends with the birth of offspring in March, usually in burrows. Litter size is typically 1-2 offspring (rarely 3).
Offspring: Young pangolins often have a milky white scale coloration.
Habitat: Inhabits old-growth forests, secondary forests, and mixed bamboo-wood forests. They reside in burrows located under large trees, decaying logs, or in rock and soil formations within dense vegetation.
Activity: Nocturnal, foraging on the ground at night. They take shelter in burrows during the day.
Distribution:
Vietnam: Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên – Huế, Quảng Nam, Đà Nẵng, Kontum, Gia Lai, and Tây Ninh.
Global: Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Value:
Conservation Status: A rare and valuable species.
Ecological Role: Possesses the ability to control termites, ants, and many other wood and forest-damaging insects.
Human Use: A beautiful animal for display in parks and zoos.
Current Status:
Distribution: Their range is not extensive.
Threats: Highly prized, they have been subjected to significant overhunting and illegal cross-border trade since the 1990s due to their high market value. Populations are severely depleted in many areas.
Classification:
EN A1c, d C1 + 2a. (This refers to IUCN Red List criteria)
Conservation Measures:
Protected Status: Included in the Vietnam Red Data Book (1992) and the IUCN Red List (1996, 2000).
Trade Restrictions: Recent years have seen increased cross-border trafficking. Hunting, trapping, and trade of pangolins and their scales are strictly prohibited in any form.
