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BohoBio Bio
Hello, my name is Yumi, and this is my BohoBio Bio
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Name : Yumi the pangolin
Scientific Name : Phataginus tricuspis Other Name : scaly anteater Home : Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam Favorite Food : ants, termites and not much else Personality : shy, keep to myself, creature of the night Best Features : super tough scales; long and sticky tongue Biggest Concerns : avoiding leopards and other predators, surviving intense human hunting Shout out : Save Vietnam's Wildlife; Save Pangolins Video : Interview with a Pangolin |
WHERE I’M FROM
There are 8 species of pangolins in the world, with 4 species that live in Africa and 4 that live in southern Asia. I am a Sunda pangolin and live I live in a forest within Cuc Phoung National Park in Vietnam. Pangolins live a variety of habitats, with some living in rainforest, while others live in drier shrubland. So long as we can find a good supply of termites or ants we do ok.
TRAITS & ABILITIES
I kind of look like the animal version of a pinecone, but I like my unique appearance. My body is about 75 cm (30 inches) long, with about half of that being my tail. My body is covered with tough, overlapping scales except for my belly. These scales are made of the same material as human fingernails and they are strong, hard, and can be sharp. These scales provide great protection from leopards or other animals that might want to eat me. If a predator comes close, I will roll up into a ball to protect my face and belly. I also can release a skunk-like scent for further protection. The predator usually loses interest in eating me after finding out how bad I smell and how difficult it is to get their claws or teeth into my skin.
My scales protect me from being eaten, but I have other traits that help me to find and capture what I like to eat. We pangolins live on a diet of mostly ants and termites. My strong front claws allow me to dig into an ant nest or termite mound and then I use my amazing tongue to catch them. My tongue is long, thin, and sticky and works great for catching these insects and bringing them into my mouth. I don’t have any teeth, but I don’t need teeth to eat termites. My front claws also help me climb trees, but when I’m on the ground they don’t work well for walking. So, when I walk around, I usually do so using only my back two legs.
My scales protect me from being eaten, but I have other traits that help me to find and capture what I like to eat. We pangolins live on a diet of mostly ants and termites. My strong front claws allow me to dig into an ant nest or termite mound and then I use my amazing tongue to catch them. My tongue is long, thin, and sticky and works great for catching these insects and bringing them into my mouth. I don’t have any teeth, but I don’t need teeth to eat termites. My front claws also help me climb trees, but when I’m on the ground they don’t work well for walking. So, when I walk around, I usually do so using only my back two legs.
FAMILY LIFE
We pangolins prefer to live alone but do come together for mating. Pregnancy lasts about 5 months and the mom will usually have only baby which is called a pangopup. The pangopup’s scales are soft when they are born but harden up soon after. When the mom goes foraging her pangopup will ride along on her tail.
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PRESENT & FUTURE
Right now, I am classified as “endangered” and other pangolin species are range from vulnerable to critically endangered. We need your help if we are to have a future in which our home is safe and where we are not being captured for our skin and scales. We are fortunate to have friends like ”Save Vietnam’s Wildlife” and "Save Pangolins". These groups are dedicated to protecting us and our homes. So long as the effort of people trying to protect us and our home are greater than the efforts of people trying to kill us or destroy our home, we will have a future presence on our planet.
