The pangolin is the world’s most illegally traded mammal. Demand for pangolin scales and meat means this little-known creature could become extinct before we have a chance to understand it fully.
There are eight species of pangolin, all of which are declining in number and range listed from Critically Endangered to Vulnerable on the IUCN’s Red List. Found in Asia and Africa, these scaly creatures are adept at tearing apart termite mounds with their claws and using their long sticky tongues to retrieve the insects inside.