14/07/2021
Critically endangered species
Philippines or Palawan pangolins
TODAY'S SCIENCE TRIVIA: They're scaly, they're small, and they can curl up into a ball: Indeed, pangolins are curious little fellows. In a way, they're what you'd get if you combined an anteater, an armadillo, and a skunk.
Covered with scales made of keratin, pangolins (also called "scaly anteaters") are the only mammals we know of that possess this feature. When they're threatened, they can roll up into a ball and release a foul-smelling liquid via a gland near the base of the tail.
There are eight known pangolin species, and some of them can grow over four feet in length. Four of these species live in Africa, while the rest are in Asia (including the Philippine pangolin or Palawan pangolin, ππ’π―πͺπ΄ π€πΆππͺπ°π―π¦π―π΄πͺπ΄).
Sadly, pangolins are also believed to be the most trafficked non-human mammals in the world. All eight pangolin species, which range from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, are banned from commercial trade and protected by international laws.
Despite this, tens of thousands of pangolins are slaughtered annually for their scales (used in traditional Chinese medicine, despite having no proven medicinal value) and meat (used in luxurious meals for elites in places such as China and Vietnam).
References:
[1] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/02/pangolin-pictures-world-pangolin-day/
[2] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/group/pangolins/
[3] https://www.ft.com/content/2833fdee-2dbe-11e8-97ec-4bd3494d5f14
[4] https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/fascinating-facts/pangolins
[5] https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/facts-about-pangolins/
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Today's Science History Milestone: On December 6, 2006, NASA officially released photographs that hint at the presence of liquid water on Mars, taken by the Mars Global Surveyor.