The Sunda pangolin, also known as the Malayan or Javan pangolin, is a unique mammal recognized by its distinctive overlapping scales. These nocturnal creatures are the only mammals covered in keratin scales, similar to human fingernails. Found across Southeast Asia, this species plays a role in its ecosystem. The Sunda pangolin faces a severe threat, listed as critically endangered by the IUCN.
Physical Traits and Behavior
The Sunda pangolin possesses several physical adaptations. Its body is covered in tough, brown, keratinous scales, offering a protective barrier against predators and insects. These scales cover its body, tail, limbs, and forehead, stopping just before the muzzle. Its feet have granular skin and pads, with thick, powerful claws used for digging.
This species is primarily nocturnal and solitary, typically only interacting for breeding and raising young. When threatened, the pangolin can roll itself into a tight, scaly ball, making it nearly impossible for predators like tigers or clouded leopards to uncurl. While often found on the ground, Sunda pangolins are also largely arboreal, using their strong, prehensile tail with an unscaled pad at the tip to climb trees and even hang upside down from branches. They have poor eyesight but compensate with a developed sense of smell, which they use to locate food.
Where They Live and What They Eat
The Sunda pangolin is native to various regions across Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and the islands of Borneo, Java, Sumatra, and the Lesser Sunda Islands. They inhabit a range of environments, preferring forested areas like primary, secondary, and scrub forests. They are also found in cultivated areas such as rubber and palm oil plantations, and near human settlements.
As insectivores, Sunda pangolins eat ants and termites, including their larvae. They locate these insect nests using their excellent sense of smell and hearing. Once a nest is found, they use their powerful front claws to break it open and their long, sticky tongue, which can extend up to 25 cm, to collect the insects. An adult pangolin consumes an estimated 200,000 ants or termites per day, contributing to ecosystem balance. Lacking teeth, they have keratinized structures and strong stomach walls that help grind their food, sometimes aided by small stones they consume.
Why They Are Endangered
The Sunda pangolin’s endangered status stems from two threats: illegal wildlife trade and habitat loss. Poaching for their meat and scales drives their population decline. Pangolin meat is considered a luxury dish in parts of Southeast Asia and China, while their scales are used in traditional medicine, despite a lack of scientific evidence for any health benefits.
Over a million pangolins across all eight species are estimated to have been poached since 2000, with over 80 tonnes of scales confiscated in 2019 alone. The illegal trade is a multi-billion-dollar black market, with smugglers using many routes to transport these animals. Habitat loss, due to deforestation for agriculture, logging, mining, and dam construction, also pushes pangolins out of their natural environments. Road construction further contributes to their decline through traffic deaths and by opening up previously remote areas to poachers.
Efforts to Protect Them
Numerous conservation efforts are underway to protect the Sunda pangolin from extinction. International agreements, such as CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), have listed all pangolin species, including the Sunda pangolin, on Appendix I. This bans international commercial trade in wild-caught pangolins and their parts. This listing reflects the severe threat of overexploitation for meat and scales.
Law enforcement agencies and anti-poaching units are working to combat illegal trade through targeted patrols and interception of smuggled shipments. For instance, the Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team in Cambodia has rescued hundreds of live Sunda pangolins from illegal trade. Beyond enforcement, habitat preservation and restoration projects protect the pangolin’s natural environment. Organizations establish rescue and rehabilitation centers to care for pangolins confiscated from traffickers, though their care in captivity remains challenging. Public awareness campaigns educate consumers about the health risks of consuming wildlife and reduce demand for pangolin products.