Pangolins are gentle mammals who curl into a defensive ball when threatened.

Sadly, pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world. As large as house cats, they’re the only mammal covered in scales—making them impenetrable to most predators, but also a target for illegal wildlife trade. Their scales are used in traditional medicine and their meat for human consumption. Currently, all eight species of pangolins—four in Africa and four in Asia—are threatened with extinction.

pangolin hanging on the side of a small wired cage
ZUMA Press, Inc.
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Alamy Stock Photo
Pangolins deserve a peaceful life in their natural habitat.

In the wild, pangolins are nocturnal, emerging at dusk to dig with their long claws and slurp up insects with their extra-long tongues. Shy and slow-moving, pangolins experience extreme distress when trafficked, and rescued pangolins often require intensive care.

A Temminck's Ground Pangolin forages for termites in the wild in South Africa.
Francois Meyer
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African Pangolin Working Group
Did you know?

A single pangolin eats around 70 million ants and termites each year.

Scared yellow dog left out in the rain and mud

For every animal saved, countless others are still suffering. By stepping up for them, you can create a future where animals no longer have to suffer in puppy mills, factory farms, testing labs or other heartbreaking situations. Start saving lives today!

Kathy Milani / The HSUS