The pangolin is the only living mammal with scales covering most of its body. These overlapping keratin scales protect its back, sides, tail, and limbs, while the animal’s underside remains comparatively soft.
Pangolins belong to the order Pholidota and are not closely related to armadillos, even though both animals have protective body coverings. Their scales evolved independently. When threatened, a pangolin can curl into a tight ball, using its hard scales as armor and shielding its head and vulnerable underside.
Pangolins have no teeth. Instead, they use long, sticky tongues to collect ants and termites, and their powerful claws help them break into nests. Their diet and specialized anatomy make them important insect-eating mammals in the ecosystems where they live.
All eight living pangolin species face serious conservation pressure, especially from illegal hunting and trafficking for meat and scales. International trade in wild pangolins is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, although illegal trade continues.