Sunda Pangolin
 known
as Javan Pangolin and Scaly Anteater. The Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica),
also known as the Malayan Pangolin, is a species of pangolin found in
South-East Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Borneo
and the Lesser Sunda Islands), the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos and
Cambodia, and Malaysia and Singapore. These pangolins are found in
Southeast Asia’s forested habitats (primarily, secondary, scrub forest)
and plantations (rubber, palm oil). Mostly, they spend time within tree
resting or searching food (Nowak, 1999).
The skin of its feet is granular although there are pads on its front
feet. Its tail has 30 scales.
It is closely related to the Chinese Pangolin, although the Malayan
species is larger, lighter in colour and has shorter foreclaws.
The Sunda Pangolin's main predators are the Tiger and the Clouded
Leopard.
It has thick and powerful claws to dig into the soils in search of
ant nests or to tear into termite mounds. The nose is fleshy and no
teeth in the mouth. However, it has a long and sticky tongue. This helps
them to collect ants and termites. Its body covered by rows of scales
and fibrous hair. Head-body length of pangolin is up to 65cm, tail
length is up to 56cm and its weight is up to 10kg. In fact, males are
larger than females.
Pangolins give birth annually to one or two offsprings. It breeds in
the autumn and gives birth in the winter burrow. Parental care will be
given for approximately three months. Pangolin sometimes found in pairs,
but normally solitary, noctural and behaves timid. It protects its soft
underparts by rolling into a ball when they feeling threatened. They are
strong diggers and will make burrows lined with vegetation for
insulation near termite mounds and ant nests (Medway and L, 1969).
Advantages of these animals are constructing burrow to get ants and
termites for food resources. Besides that, it also helps in soil
aeration (Heath, 1992). Human beings hunt the pangolin for their skins,
scales and meat. Their parts are used for medicinal purposes (Nowak,
1999). Scales of pangolin are made into a ring as a charm against
rheumatic fever and meat is eaten by indigenous peoples. Besides that,
skins are also used to make shoes. One of the main importers of pangolin
skins from 1980-1985 was the United States of America (Nowak, 1999).
Nepalese believe that an extract of the uterus or “garvaeulo” of the
pangolins safeguard against abortion. Pangolins are dislodged from their
burrows by digging or sending the pungent odor of chili into the hole of
the burrow. |
