The Pangolin | 台北市立動物園資訊網

2018年6月8日—Thepangolinisalsotheonlymammalwithscales—similartothoseoffishandreptiles,whiletheshellofthearmadilloisbonyinnature.

When the famous naturalist Sir David Attenborough was invited to choose which ten threatened animals he would save from extinction[1], one that he placed on his list was the mysterious pangolin, the only mammal on the planet with scales. “It’s one of the most endearing animals I have ever met. Huge numbers of them are illegally exported, mainly to China,” said Attenborough. He discovered it after rescuing one from a cooking pot in Asia during the filming of a documentary. Here we review what makes this animal so different and so coveted.

The truth is that almost everything about this animal is special, from its unique appearance[2]—which has earned it descriptions such as an “anteater with scales” or an “artichoke with legs”—to its comical and humanoid a...