Giant Pangolin

Giant Pangolin

Giant ground pangolin, Grand pangolin

Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Smutsia gigantea
Population size
Unknown
Life Span
20 years
Top speed
5
3
km/hmph
km/h mph 
Weight
33
73
kglbs
kg lbs 
Length
125-140
49.2-55.1
cminch
cm inch 

The Giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) is the biggest and the rarest of the African species of pangolin. It looks like an armored animal and behaves in the secretive manner of a spy. Its footprints look the same as a small elephant’s. This unusual animal was first described by Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger in 1815.

Appearance

Like all pangolins, the species is armored with large, brown to reddish-brown scales formed from keratin. Curiously, it also has eyelashes. The giant pangolin has a long snout, a long, thick tail, and large front claws. The animal has a strong sense of smell and large anal glands. It walks with most of its weight on its columnar rear legs, and curls its front paws, walking on the outside of the wrists rather than the palms to protect the claws. Unlike its close relative, the Ground pangolin, this pangolin doesn't walks upright as a biped. Male Giant pangolins are larger than females.

Video

Distribution

Geography

The Giant pangolin has a scattered distribution throughout Central and West Africa from Senegal to Ghana, and Cameroon to Kenya. It lives in forested swamps, moist tropical lowland forests, and mosaic habitats of savanna, forest, and areas of cultivation.

Giant Pangolin habitat map

Climate zones

Giant Pangolin habitat map
Giant Pangolin
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Habits and Lifestyle

The Giant pangolin is a nocturnal and elusive animal that spends the day hidden beneath plant debris or deep in its burrow. At night it typically goes out to search for food. They are normally solitary but sometimes parents live in the same burrow as their offspring. They walk either on all four legs or using their hind legs with their tail for balance. While walking on all fours, they curl up their front paws to protect their sharp front claws. When startled, pangolins cover their head with their front legs, exposing their scales to the potential predator. If touched, they will roll up into a ball and can use the sharp scales on their tail to lash out.

Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

Giant pangolins are carnivores (myrmecophagous). Their diet consists of termites and ants.

Mating Habits

REPRODUCTION SEASON
September, October
PREGNANCY DURATION
140 days
BABY CARRYING
1 pangopup
INDEPENDENT AGE
3-4 months
BABY NAME
pangopup

Little information is available about the breeding habits of Giant pangolins. One newborn was discovered in September and another found in October. Gestation is usually for about 140 days and a single young is born. The young is born with open eyes and weighs around 500 g (18 oz). It has soft scales that eventually harden. The young cannot walk on its legs but can move on its belly. During age 6-8 weeks, the young often spews a yellow secretion from their anal glands to keep predators and other animals from taking advantage of their mothers. The mother nurses her baby for 3 to 4 months then will take it with her when foraging, riding on the base of her tail.

Population

Population threats

The Giant pangolin, as with other pangolin, is hunted for its meat and to use for traditional medicine. Some local people also believe that the pangolin’s body parts can generate rain, ward off lions, and neutralize evil spirits.

Population number

The IUCN Red List and other sources do not provide the Giant pangolin total population size, but it's generally considered rare. Currently this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.

Fun Facts for Kids

  • The scales of the Giant pangolin are made of keratin, which is what our hair and nails are made of.
  • The scales of this animal make up about 20 percent of its body weight.
  • Pangolins can eat as many as 70 million insects each year. They usually eat 90 times during one night, each meal lasting one minute.
  • There are only 19 species of ants and termites that the pangolin likes to eat.
  • Pangolins have no teeth, so they must swallow small stones and sand with the insects to aid in the grinding of their food and digestion.
  • A pangolin has poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell. It does not have external ears but can hear well.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Giant Pangolin Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_pangolin
2. Giant Pangolin on The IUCN Red List site - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/12762/0

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