Tree Pangolin
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| Manis tricuspis Rafinesque, 1821 |
The tree pangolin (Manis tricuspis) is found in secondary forests and is native to most of mainland and insular Southeast Asia, China, Taiwan, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka but Manis tricuspis is known in Africa only from Senegal to western Kenya, and southern Africa to Zambia. Female pangolin territories are solitary and small, less than 10 acres (40,000 m²), and they rarely overlap. Males have larger territories, up to 60 acres (200,000 m²), which overlap many female territories resulting in male/female meetings. These meetings are brief unless the female is in breeding condition. Pangolins create burrows in the ant or termite hills they previously vacated and tree pangolins often sleep in the trees. The two smaller pangolin species that live in trees within rainforests curl up to sleep in the fork of a branch or lie among the plants.
When males and females meet while the female is in breeding condition mating occurs. Gestation of young occurs for 150 days and one young per birth is normal. The young pangolin is carried on its mother's tail until it is weaned after three months, but it will remain with its mother for five months in total. At first the newborn's scales are soft but after a few days they start to harden. In captivity females have been known to adopt the young of others.
Tree pangolins eat insects such as ants and termites from their nests, or the armies of insects moving on the trees. They rely on their thick skin for protection, and dig into burrows with their long, clawed forefeet. They eat between 5 and 7 ounces (150 to 200 g) of insects a day. Pangolins use their 10 to 27 inch (250 to 700 mm) tongue which is coated with gummy mucus to funnel the insects into their mouth. The tongue is actually sheathed in the chest cavity all the way to the pelvic area.
The tree pangolin has many adaptations. When threatened they roll up into a ball, protecting themselves with their thick skin and scales. Their scales cover their entire body except for the belly, snout, eyes, ears, and undersides of the limbs. When a mother with young is threatened it rolls up around the young which also rolls into a ball. While in a ball they can extend their scales and make a cutting action by using muscles to move the scales back and forth. They make an aggressive huff noise when threatened but that is the extent of their noise making.
They can walk on all fours or on their hind legs using their prehensile tails for balance. Tree pangolins can climb up their own tail in the absence of branches and their long tails actually set a record for vertebrae in mammals, up to 47 vertebrae in some species. When walking on all fours it walks on its front knuckles with its claws tucked underneath in order to protect them from wearing down. Their anal scent glands disperse a foul secretion much like a skunk when threatened. They have well developed scent, but as a nocturnal animal they have poor eye sight. Instead of teeth they have a gizzard-like stomach full of stones and sand they ingest. African tree pangolins fill their stomachs with air before entering water to aid in buoyancy for well developed swimming.
Its natural predators are leopards, hyenas, and pythons, but it is also hunted by humans. Humans use the meat, which is considered a delicacy. The meat of the Cape pangolin is especially popular with local people. Pangolin hide is used for boots and other leathery goods. The scales are thought to have medicinal value as an antiseptic, fever combatant, skin disease defense, and aphrodisiac. The scales are used as is or ground into powder for potions. These uses have led to reduced pangolin population even though there are bans on commercial trade of all pangolin species. The seven species of pangolin are now all becoming extremely rare as a result of their desirability.
[edit] References
- Pangolin Specialist Group (1996). Manis tricuspis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.he:פנגולין עצים קטן
