#Armadillo vs pangolin skin

There are eight different species of pangolin, four African and four Asian.

Thick skin, and ear & nostril cavities that they can close, keep pangolins from getting bitten by the ants they eat. It has been estimated that pangolins can consume around 70 million insects in a single year! When travelling, babies will ride the base of the mother pangolin’s tail. Pangolins are found in Africa, India, China and Malasia.Įating small stones helps the pangolin to digest the contents of its stomach. Pangolins often make their homes in abandoned warthog burrows. Made from keratin, the pangolin’s scales account for about 20% of its weight and grow continuously. After doing all what was required in terms of the research, the Pangolin came to and melted into the shadows, leaving us in awe of the privilege given to us.These retiring creatures are on the bucket list of many a conservationist and wildlife enthusiast, and I wish you all the best of luck in being able to witness these unique animals in their natural surroundings.

This is the equivalent of what the pangolins tongue and musculature structure would look like if it were one of our adaptations. It is also where the unique muscles and tongue mechanism can be seen.Imagine if your tongue and the muscles controlling it started all the way done by your belly button, and that your tongue could extend a few feet out of your mouth because of this.

#Armadillo vs pangolin skin

Who knew that the only spot not covered in scales of a pangolin was a small section of pink skin on the belly? This is where the youngsters can suckle, and if threatened, hide when mother rolls into a ball. In this time, we were helping Jonathan out with all facets of the procedures, and the truly wondrous adaptions of these creatures were seen first-hand. Jonathan had to anaesthetise the animal, so that temperature, heart rates could be measured and so that blood could be taken to perform a hormonal and chemical analysis. Mouths very dry with anxiety and excitement, we came upon one of the most fascinating creatures I have ever seen and had the privilege to watch: a young male pangolin. The similarities they do have are: the elongated tongues that they use to eat the same food resource (ants and termites), the fact that they spend their days in underground burrows, and that they are nearly impossible to see.Now, walking at night through one of the most predator-dense reserves in the world is a pretty unique and awakening experience! Hearing all types of sounds that I tried to ignore, we followed the faint radio beeps until it got stronger and stronger. They are all placed in their own mammal orders, and as such are truly unique. It can be compared to other well-known ant eaters around the world, including another unique creature, the Aardvark (Orycteropusafer).However these creatures are as different from each other as we are to Elephants. The Pangolin (Manistemminckii) is a scaly mammal that feeds on ants and termites. Its unique scaly skin and upright walking style make it as interesting to look at as it is mysterious. So, armed with just a headlamp, a side arm, and his trusty tracking equipment, we set off on foot in the middle of the night tracking 5 of his radio collared Pangolin study subjects.It must be one of the most elusive and shy creatures that walk our African Bushveld. I was fortunate enough to have been able to go out with South Africa’s leading expert in pangolin behaviour and research, Jonathan Swart.At the time Jonathan was the ecologist of the reserve and was completing his PhD in Pangolin Behaviour and Physiology. As in most big 5 reserves, you are required to complete a long, gruelling practical period before you are allowed to take guests out, and in this time some of your formative guiding lessons are learnt. I was a “wet behind the ears” 21 year old ranger when I first walked into the Western Sector of the Sabi Sands private Game Reserve.