World Pangolin Day is celebrated the third Saturday of February every year in order to bring awareness to the world of this lovely little scaly anteater - so, yesterday! What did you do to celebrate?
Pangolin numbers are rapidly declining throughout Asia and Africa because of the demand for pangolin scales in China, where they are considered to have medicinal qualities (there is no scientific evidence to support these claims). Some Chinese also consider pangolin meat to be a delicacy. As a result of this demand, pangolins have quickly become of the most threatened animals in wildlife trafficking, with an estimated 100,000 killed from illegal wildlife trade since 2011.
Pangolins are unique animals with their own charm. They are the world’s only scaly mammals and 20% of a pangolin’s weight is its scales. Their tongues are longer than their bodies which they use to suck up as many as 70 million ants per year! Want to learn more about this special animal and take action to protect it? Watch the video and educate yourself and others about their plight!
Photo Source: One Green Planet