Introduction to World Pangolin Day UPSC

Welcome to PreCrack! Recently, the World Pangolin Day was celebrated world-wide, also in Andhra Pradesh, India, on World Pangolin Day, forest department releases poster on Indian Pangolin. This event has enlighten the importance of Pangolins.

Why Pangolins are in the news? – Pangolin UPSC Current Affairs

Pangolins are in the news because of World Pangolin Day (Every year 17^th of February), with the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department organizing awareness activities. The focus is on the critically endangered Indian Pangolin, protected under wildlife laws.

What is Pangolin? – Pangolin UPSC

Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, belong to the order Pholidota, with the Manidae family comprising three genera: Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia. Found in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, these mammals range in size from 30 to 100 cm. Pangolins possess protective keratin scales, similar to fingernails, unique among mammals.

Scientific name of Pangolin – Scientific name of Indian Pangolin UPSC

Pangolins, scientifically known as Manis, are unique mammals with protective keratin scales. The Indian Pangolin, a species of Manis, is identified as Manis crassicaudata. These solitary, nocturnal creatures face threats from poaching and habitat loss, making them the most trafficked mammals globally, with various species listed as critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable.

Details about Pangolins UPSC

We have added a completed detailed details about Pangolins below-

Etymology of Pangolin

The word “Pholidota” comes from Ancient Greek, meaning “clad in scales,” reflecting the pangolin’s unique scale-covered appearance. The term “pangolin” has Malay origins, specifically from “pengguling,” which translates to “one who rolls up.” This refers to the pangolin’s defensive behavior of rolling into a protective ball.

Although the modern Malay name is tenggiling, in Javanese, it is terenggiling, and in Philippine languages, it is goling, tanggiling, or balintong, all with the same rolling-up meaning. In ancient India, it was known as the phattáges according to Aelian.

Description about Pangolin

Pangolins, often called scaly anteaters, are mammals known for their distinctive protective keratin scales covering their bodies. Belonging to the order Pholidota, the one family, Manidae, includes three genera: Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia. Found in Asia and Africa, these nocturnal creatures feed on ants and termites using their long tongues.

Pangolins live in hollow trees or burrows, displaying solitary behavior, meeting only for mating. Their scales, resembling fingernails, make them the only mammals with such features. Unfortunately, they face severe threats from poaching for scales and meat, leading to their status as the world’s most trafficked mammals.

How Pangolins Behave?

Pangolins exhibit distinctive behaviors shaped by their nocturnal lifestyle (primarily active during the night, for example owls, bats, and some species of rodents and insects) and unique anatomy. They primarily rely on their well-developed sense of smell to locate insects, their main food source.

While most pangolins, being nocturnal, actively forage during the night, the long-tailed pangolin is also active by day. During the daytime, pangolins often sleep curled up into a defensive ball, a behavior known as “volvation.” Arboreal pangolins reside in hollow trees, while ground-dwelling species dig tunnels up to 3.5 meters deep. Some pangolins showcase bipedal walking for certain activities, and surprising to many, they are adept swimmers.

What do Pangolins eat?

Pangolins are insectivores, relying on a diet primarily composed of various ant and termite species, occasionally supplemented by other insects and larvae. Despite their limited food preferences, a pangolin can consume 140 to 200 grams of insects daily, playing a crucial role in regulating termite populations.

With poor vision and lacking teeth, they depend on their strong front legs to tear into termite mounds and dig into soil to locate prey. Their long, sticky tongues are adept at probing insect tunnels, aided by a stomach structure equipped with keratinous spines and a gizzard for grinding. Some pangolins, like the tree pangolin, use their prehensile tails to access insect nests by hanging from tree branches.

Reproduction of Pangolins UPSC

Pangolins lead solitary lives, meeting only for mating, usually near water holes during the night. Males, larger and marking their locations with urine or feces, attract females. Mating occurs once a year, typically in summer or autumn.

Males might use their tails as clubs in competition for mates. Gestation varies, lasting 70 to 140 days, with African pangolins having single births and Asiatic ones giving birth to one to three. Babies, born with soft, white scales, stay in burrows with their moms for protection. Weighing 80 to 450 grams at birth, they start eating insects at three months and leave their moms at two years, becoming sexually mature.

Classification of Pangolin – Taxonomy of Pangolin

These are the classifications of Pangolins-

Kingdom: Animalia

Pangolins fall under the Animalia kingdom, sharing fundamental characteristics such as multicellular bodies, a requirement for heterotrophic nutrition (consuming other organisms), and the ability to move within their environment.

Phylum: Chordata

As members of the Chordata phylum, pangolins exhibit key features like a notochord (a flexible internal skeleton), a dorsal nerve cord, and pharyngeal gill slits at some stage in their development.

Class: Mammalia

Belonging to the Mammalia class, pangolins share quintessential mammalian traits, including fur or hair covering their bodies, mammary glands for milk production, and the presence of three middle ear bones.

Order: Pholidota

Pangolins constitute the unique order Pholidota, which is exclusively dedicated to them, underlining their distinctiveness. While some argue for a separate order, Maniformes, Pholidota remains widely accepted. Their closest living relatives are considered to be Carnivora, encompassing animals like cats and dogs.

Family: Manidae

All eight pangolin species are grouped within the family Manidae, sharing specific anatomical features such as overlapping scales and possessing long, sticky tongues.

Genera and Species:

Genus Manis (Asian species)

• Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata)
• Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis)
• Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica)
• Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla)
• These species are characterized by having five toes on each foot.

Genus Phataginus (African species)

• Long-tailed pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla)
• White-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis)
• These African species exhibit four toes on each foot and possess a prehensile tail.

Genus Smutsia (African species)

• Giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea)
• Temminck’s ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii)
• These African species have five toes on each foot and are characterized by large scales.

Virology of Pangolin

Scientists studied a part of the virus found in pangolins, specifically the spike protein’s receptor–binding domain. They discovered it was 99% similar to the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19.

Initially, there were thoughts that the virus might have come from bats and spread to humans through pangolins. However, further research found only a 92% match between pangolin and human coronaviruses.

Concerns were raised that blaming pangolins might harm them, similar to how palm civets suffered during the SARS outbreak. Later studies revealed flaws in the initial testing, showing that pangolins were not likely sources for COVID-19 in humans.

Threats to the Pangolin

These are some major threats to the Pangolins

1. Illegal Trade: Pangolins are highly sought after in southern China and Vietnam due to the belief in the medicinal properties of their scales. The illegal trade results in the trafficking of an estimated 100,000 pangolins annually, making them the most trafficked animals globally.
2. Overhunting for Traditional Medicine: Pangolin scales are falsely believed to have medicinal benefits in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine, leading to overhunting driven by demand for these supposed remedies.
3. Culinary Demand: Pangolin meat is considered a delicacy, contributing to their decline as they are hunted for consumption in countries like China and Vietnam.
4. Deforestation: Habitat loss due to deforestation further threatens pangolins. The reduction of their forest habitats disrupts their natural environments, impacting their ability to survive.
5. Commercial Extinction: Overhunting has caused certain pangolin species, such as Manis pentadactyla, to become commercially extinct in specific regions.
6. Bushmeat Trade in Ghana: In Ghana, pangolins are hunted and consumed as bushmeat, adding to the pressure on their populations.
7. Traditional Medicine in Ghana: Pangolins are also used as a source of traditional medicine in Ghana, leading to additional threats as local healers contribute to the demand.
8. East Asian Beliefs: Ground-up pangolin scales are believed in East Asia to stimulate lactation, cure cancer, or asthma, fueling illegal trafficking despite international trade bans.
9. Seizures and Trafficking: Numerous seizures of illegally trafficked pangolins and their meat have occurred in Asia, revealing the persistence of this threat.
10. Habitat Destruction in Nigeria: In Nigeria, overexploitation and habitat destruction due to timber harvesting lead to the decline of pangolin populations, pushing them to the brink of extinction.

Smuggling of Pangolin

Pangolins face grave threats due to soaring demand in China and Vietnam, driven by beliefs in the medicinal properties of their scales and the delicacy of their meat. An estimated 100,000 pangolins are trafficked annually, making them the “world’s most trafficked animals”.

Conservation Status of Pangolins

Pangolins face severe conservation challenges, primarily due to the illicit global trade in their skin, scales, and meat. The IUCN Red List classifies all eight pangolin species as threatened. The IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group launched the “Scaling up Pangolin Conservation” plan, emphasizing comprehensive efforts to combat poaching, trafficking, and community education.

Steps taken by India to Conserve Pangolin

These are many types of steps has been taken by India to preserve and conserve Pangolins-

Legal Protection

• Indian and Chinese Pangolins listed under Schedule-I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Poaching or trading pangolins can lead to imprisonment up to 7 years and/or a fine of up to Rs. 25,000.
• Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) issues advisories for stricter enforcement and increased penalties.

Habitat Conservation

• Government allocates funds to improve and maintain grassland habitats crucial for pangolins.
• Pangolin habitats included in various protected areas across India.

Raising Awareness

• LESKNOW (Lesser-Known Endangered Species Not Only Know) initiative focuses on creating awareness among wildlife officials and the public about pangolins.
• Community engagement through workshops and surveys involving local communities in pangolin conservation.

Research and Rehabilitation

• Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) tracks pangolin populations, analyzes threats, and trains specialized dogs for detection.
• Confiscated or injured pangolins receive specialized care at rehabilitation centers for potential release.

Why Pangolin Smuggled?

These are many reasons why Pangolin is “Most Trafficked Animal on the Earth”.

1. False Beliefs in Medicinal Properties

• Lack of Scientific Evidence: Despite cultural beliefs, there is no scientific evidence supporting the medicinal properties of pangolin scales.
• Cultural Demand: Traditional practices in China and Vietnam contribute to the perpetuation of these myths, sustaining the demand for pangolin scales.

2. High Prices Fuel Illegal Trade

• Exorbitant Costs: Pangolin scales command high prices on the black market, ranging from USD $2,000 to $10,000 per kilogram.
• Lucrative Incentive: The substantial profits motivate poachers and traffickers to engage in illegal trade despite legal consequences.

3. Meat as a Delicacy with Complexities:

• Status Symbol Consumption: Pangolin meat is considered a rare and expensive delicacy in some Asian countries, associated with wealth.
• Perceived Health Benefits: Unfounded health beliefs about pangolin meat contribute to its demand, adding complexities to conservation efforts.
• Bushmeat Trade: In Africa, pangolins are hunted for local consumption, contributing to their decline and creating challenges for conservation.

4. Easy Targets due to Vulnerability:

• Nocturnal and Elusive: Pangolins’ nocturnal and solitary behavior makes them challenging to detect and poach compared to other animals.
• Weak Enforcement: Limited resources and capacity in some regions hinder effective patrolling, making it easier for poachers to target pangolins.

5. Organized Crime’s Involvement:

• Criminal Networks: Pangolin smuggling is often connected to organized crime, complicating efforts to combat this illicit trade.
• Sophisticated Operations: Traffickers utilize well-established networks and routes, posing significant challenges for law enforcement agencies.

Use of Pangolin in Medicines

We want to let it be clear that, there are no official, scientific approved uses of Pangolins in the world till now. However, there are some people who thinks that Pangolin can be uses for many purposes. “We do not endorse these type of uses of a Critically Endangered Species of an Animal”

• Pangolin scales and flesh are used in traditional Chinese medicine, driven by unfounded beliefs in medicinal properties.
• Historical records dating back to 500 CE mention pangolin scales for protection against ant bites.
• Tang dynasty practices (682 CE) suggested pangolin scales to expel evil spirits and stimulate lactation.
• In the 21st century, pangolin scales are utilized in quackery, claiming health benefits without scientific evidence.
• Chinese pharmacopoeia included pangolin scales, removed in 2020, but still present in various medicines.
• Pangolin parts are used for medicinal purposes in Asia, including India, Nepal, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Myanmar.
• Indigenous beliefs in southern Palawan involve wearing belts made with pangolin scales to prevent prostate illnesses.
• Pangolins hold cultural significance in traditional medicine, with scales believed to possess unique and valuable properties.
• The first record of pangolin scales occurs in Ben Cao Jinji Zhu (500 CE), recommending them for protection against ant bites.
• During the Tang dynasty (752 CE), pangolin scales were suggested to stimulate milk secretion in lactating women.
• The Taiping sheng hui fan (992 CE) emphasized using pangolin scales for penetrating and clearing blockages.

Key Facts about Pangolin

10 Interesting Facts about Pangolins – Pangolin Interesting Facts

You’ll be amazed to know that…

1. Pangolins are completely covered in overlapping scales made of keratin, the same material as our hair and nails!
2. The tongue of pangolins can exceed their body’s entire weight, reaching up to 70cm in length.
3. There are eight different species of pangolins, four in Asia and four in Africa.
4. Pangolins have no teeth; instead, they use their long tongues and sticky saliva to capture ants and termites.
5. These unique creatures can roll themselves into a tight, protective ball when threatened.
6. Pangolins are primarily nocturnal, meaning they are most active during the night.
7. They play a crucial role in ecosystems by controlling insect populations, particularly ants and termites.
8. Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked mammals, primarily due to the illegal trade of their scales and meat.
9. Despite their tough exterior, pangolins are often victims of predators like lions, leopards, and hyenas.
10. Conservation efforts are underway globally to protect pangolins from poaching, habitat loss, and the illegal wildlife trade.

FAQs on Pangolin – UPSC Questions on Pangolin

Question-1: What is a pangolin, and where are they found?

Answer. Pangolins are unique mammals covered in scales. They are found in Africa and Asia, inhabiting diverse environments like forests, grasslands, and rocky areas.

Question-2: How many species of pangolins are there?

Answer. There are eight pangolin species: four in Africa (e.g., Long-tailed pangolin) and four in Asia (e.g., Chinese pangolin).

Question-3: What is the unique feature of pangolins?

Answer. Pangolins are covered in hard, keratin scales, making them the only mammals with this characteristic.

Question-4: Why are pangolins considered the most trafficked mammals?

Answer. Pangolins face intense trafficking due to myths surrounding their scales in traditional medicine, making them a highly sought-after commodity.

Question-5: How do pangolins defend themselves?

Answer. Pangolins are known to roll up in a ball for defense when threatened. Their scales offer protection against predators like lions and hyenas.

Question-6: What is the lifespan of a pangolin in the wild?

Answer. Pangolins typically live 10-20 years in their natural habitat.

Question-7: How do pangolins communicate?

Answer. Pangolins communicate through scent marking, hissing, and squeaking sounds.

Question-8: What do pangolins eat?

Answer. Pangolins are insectivores, mainly consuming ants and termites. They use their long, sticky tongue to extract insects from nests.

Question-9: Why are pangolins facing extinction threats?

Answer. Pangolins are threatened by poaching for their scales and meat, habitat loss, and illegal trade, pushing them towards extinction.

Question-10: What conservation efforts are in place for pangolins?

Answer. Conservation efforts include anti-poaching patrols, awareness campaigns, and habitat restoration. Pangolins are also protected under CITES Appendix I, offering the highest level of legal protection.