Back From Extinction: Returning Threatened Pangolins to the Wild

Pangolin hunting for ants. 2630ben / iStock / Getty Images Plus By Alexander Richard Braczkowski, Christopher O’Bryan, Duan Biggs, and Raymond Jansen Pangolins are one of the most illegally trafficked animals on the planet and are suspected to be linked to the current coronavirus pandemic. Pangolins are also one of the world’s most threatened species but new efforts are underway to reintroduce pangolins to parts of Africa where the animal has been extinct for decades. The reintroduction of pangolins has not been easy. But it’s vital to prevent this shy, mysterious creature from being lost forever. A Cute But Threatened Species Pangolins are the only mammals wholly-covered in scales, which they use to protect themselves from predators. They can also curl up into a tight ball. They eat mainly ants, termites and larvae which they pick up with their sticky tongue. They can grow up to 1m in length from nose to tail and are sometimes referred to as scaly anteaters. But all eight pangolin species are classified as " threatened " under International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria . There is an unprecedented demand for their scales, primarily from countries in Asia and Africa where they are […]

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