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62-774: Pangolins , sometimes known as scaly anteaters , are mammals of the order Pholidota ( / f ɒ l ɪ ˈ d oʊ t ə / ). The one extant family, the Manidae , has three genera: Manis , Phataginus , and Smutsia . Manis comprises four species found in Asia, while Phataginus and Smutsia include two species each, all found in sub-Saharan Africa. These species range in size from 30 to 100 cm (12 to 39 in). Several extinct pangolin species are also known. In September 2023, nine species were reported. Pangolins have large, protective keratin scales, similar in material to fingernails and toenails, covering their skin; they are

124-1077: A ball (" volvation "). Arboreal pangolins live in hollow trees, whereas the ground-dwelling species dig tunnels to a depth of 3.5 m (11 ft). Some pangolins walk with their front claws bent under the foot pad, although they use the entire foot pad on their rear limbs. Furthermore, some exhibit a bipedal stance for some behavior, and may walk a few steps bipedally. Pangolins are also good swimmers. Pangolins are insectivorous . Most of their diet consists of various species of ants and termites and may be supplemented by other insects, especially larvae. They are somewhat particular and tend to consume only one or two species of insects, even when many species are available. A pangolin can consume 140 to 200 g (5 to 7 oz) of insects per day. Pangolins are an important regulator of termite populations in their natural habitats. Pangolins have very poor vision . They also lack teeth. They rely heavily on smell and hearing , and they have other physical characteristics to help them eat ants and termites. Their skeletal structure

186-417: A different method of secretion. Endocrine glands are ductless and secrete their products, hormones , directly into interstitial spaces to be taken up into the bloodstream. Exocrine glands secrete their products through a duct into a body cavity or outer surface. Glands are mostly composed of epithelial tissue , and typically have a supporting framework of connective tissue, and a capsule. Every gland

248-409: A genetic dysfunction, making them extremely fragile. They are susceptible to diseases such as pneumonia and the development of ulcers in captivity, complications that can lead to an early death. In addition, pangolins rescued from illegal trade often have a higher chance of being infected with parasites such as intestinal worms , further lessening their chance for rehabilitation and reintroduction to

310-611: A less modified type of epithelial cell. Glands are classified according to their shape. Glands are divided based on their function into two groups: Endocrine glands secrete substances that circulate through the bloodstream. The glands secrete their products through basal lamina into the bloodstream. Basal lamina typically can be seen as a layer around the glands to which more than a million tiny blood vessels are attached. These glands often secrete hormones which play an important role in maintaining homeostasis . The pineal gland , thymus gland , pituitary gland , thyroid gland , and

372-419: A noxious-smelling chemical from glands near the anus, similar to the spray of a skunk . They have short legs, with sharp claws which they use for burrowing into ant and termite mounds and for climbing. The tongues of pangolins are extremely long, and like those of the giant anteater and the tube-lipped nectar bat , the root of the tongue is not attached to the hyoid bone but is in the thorax between

434-676: A study found that it is "not too late" to establish conservation efforts for Philippine pangolins ( Manis culionensis ), a species that is only found on the island province of Palawan. Taiwan is one of the few conservation grounds for pangolins in the world after the country enacted the 1989 Wildlife Conservation Act. The introduction of Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers in places like Luanshan ( Yanping Township ) in Taitung and Xiulin townships in Hualien became important communities for protecting pangolins and their habitats and has greatly improved

496-403: A very large structure is finally formed by repeated growth and sub-division. As a rule, the branches do not unite with one another. One exception to this rule is the liver ; this occurs when a reticulated compound gland is produced. In compound glands the more typical or secretory epithelium is found forming the terminal portion of each branch, and the uniting portions form ducts and are lined with

558-675: Is a vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia ( / m ə ˈ m eɪ l i . ə / ). Mammals are characterized by the presence of milk -producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair , and three middle ear bones . These characteristics distinguish them from reptiles and birds , from which their ancestors diverged in the Carboniferous Period over 300 million years ago. Around 6,400 extant species of mammals have been described and divided into 27 orders . The largest orders of mammals, by number of species , are

620-428: Is called the gizzard , and it is also covered in keratinous spines. These spines further aid in the grinding up and digestion of the pangolin's prey. Some species, such as the tree pangolin , use their strong, prehensile tails to hang from tree branches and strip away bark from the trunk, exposing insect nests inside. Pangolins are solitary and meet only to have sex, with mating typically taking place at night after

682-423: Is formed by an ingrowth from an epithelial surface. This ingrowth may in the beginning possess a tubular structure, but in other instances glands may start as a solid column of cells which subsequently becomes tubulated. As growth proceeds, the column of cells may split or give off offshoots, in which case a compound gland is formed. In many glands, the number of branches is limited, in others (salivary, pancreas)

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744-572: Is primarily driven by human poaching and habitat destruction , primarily deforestation . Over 70% of mammal species are in the orders Rodentia , Chiroptera , and Eulipotyphla . Mammal classification has been through several revisions since Carl Linnaeus initially defined the class, and at present , no classification system is universally accepted. McKenna & Bell (1997) and Wilson & Reeder (2005) provide useful recent compendiums. Simpson (1945) provides systematics of mammal origins and relationships that had been taught universally until

806-470: Is reported in Nigeria , where the animal is on the verge of extinction due to overexploitation . The overexploitation comes from hunting pangolins for game meat and the reduction of their forest habitats due to deforestation caused by timber harvesting . The pangolin are hunted as game meat for both medicinal purposes and food consumption. The nucleic acid sequence of a specific receptor-binding domain of

868-702: Is sturdy and they have strong front legs used for tearing into termite mounds. They use their powerful front claws to dig into trees, soil, and vegetation to find prey, then proceed to use their long tongues to probe inside the insect tunnels and to retrieve their prey. The structure of their tongue and stomach is key to aiding pangolins in obtaining and digesting insects. Their saliva is sticky, causing ants and termites to stick to their long tongues when they are hunting through insect tunnels. Without teeth, pangolins cannot also chew; but while foraging , they ingest small stones ( gastroliths ), which accumulate in their stomachs to help to grind up ants. This part of their stomach

930-426: Is the viviparous placental mammals , so named for the temporary organ ( placenta ) used by offspring to draw nutrition from the mother during gestation . Most mammals are intelligent , with some possessing large brains, self-awareness , and tool use . Mammals can communicate and vocalize in several ways, including the production of ultrasound , scent marking , alarm signals , singing , echolocation ; and, in

992-473: The Cretaceous . The relationships between these three lineages is contentious, and all three possible hypotheses have been proposed with respect to which group is basal . These hypotheses are Atlantogenata (basal Boreoeutheria), Epitheria (basal Xenarthra) and Exafroplacentalia (basal Afrotheria). Boreoeutheria in turn contains two major lineages— Euarchontoglires and Laurasiatheria . Estimates for

1054-470: The IUCN , while three are classified as critically endangered . All pangolin species are currently listed under Appendix I of CITES which prohibits international trade, except when the product is intended for non-commercial purposes and a permit has been granted. China had been the main destination country for pangolins until 2018, where it was surpassed by Vietnam. In 2019, Vietnam was reported to have seized

1116-564: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) completed a five-year Global Mammal Assessment for its IUCN Red List , which counted 5,488 species. According to research published in the Journal of Mammalogy in 2018, the number of recognized mammal species is 6,495, including 96 recently extinct. The word " mammal " is modern, from the scientific name Mammalia coined by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, derived from

1178-556: The Latin mamma ("teat, pap"). In an influential 1988 paper, Timothy Rowe defined Mammalia phylogenetically as the crown group of mammals, the clade consisting of the most recent common ancestor of living monotremes ( echidnas and platypuses ) and therian mammals ( marsupials and placentals ) and all descendants of that ancestor. Since this ancestor lived in the Jurassic period, Rowe's definition excludes all animals from

1240-565: The Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature . The name of order Pholidota comes from Ancient Greek ϕολιδωτός – "clad in scales" from φολίς pholís " scale ". The name "pangolin" comes from the Malay word pengguling meaning "one who rolls up" from guling or giling "to roll"; it was used for the Sunda pangolin ( Manis javanica ). However,

1302-802: The Song dynasty , the notion of penetrating and clearing blockages was emphasized in the Taiping sheng hui fan ("Formulas from Benevolent Sages Compiled During the Era of Peace and Tranquility"), compiled by Wang Huaiyin in 992. In the 21st century, the main uses of pangolin scales are quackery practices based on unproven claims the scales dissolve blood clots , promote blood circulation, or help lactating women secrete milk. The supposed health effects of pangolin meat and scales claimed by folk medicine practitioners are based on their consumption of ants, long tongues, and protective scales. The official pharmacopoeia of

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1364-606: The biological classification scheme used, are the primates : apes , monkeys , and lemurs ; the Cetartiodactyla : whales and even-toed ungulates ; and the Carnivora which includes cats , dogs , weasels , bears , seals , and allies. According to Mammal Species of the World , 5,416 species were identified in 2006. These were grouped into 1,229  genera , 153  families and 29 orders. In 2008,

1426-495: The carnivorans , with which they form a clade , the Ferae . Palaeanodonts are even closer relatives to pangolins, being classified with pangolins in the clade Pholidotamorpha . The split between carnivorans and pangolins is estimated to have occurred 79.47 Ma (million years) ago. The first dichotomy in the phylogeny of extant Manidae separates Asian pangolins ( Manis ) from African pangolins ( Smutsia and Phataginus ). Within

1488-406: The dominant terrestrial animal group from 66 million years ago to the present. The basic mammalian body type is quadrupedal , with most mammals using four limbs for terrestrial locomotion ; but in some, the limbs are adapted for life at sea , in the air , in trees or underground . The bipeds have adapted to move using only the two lower limbs, while the rear limbs of cetaceans and

1550-428: The rodents , bats , and Eulipotyphla (including hedgehogs , moles and shrews ). The next three are the primates (including humans , monkeys and lemurs ), the even-toed ungulates (including pigs , camels , and whales ), and the Carnivora (including cats , dogs , and seals ). Mammals are the only living members of Synapsida ; this clade , together with Sauropsida (reptiles and birds), constitutes

1612-439: The sea cows are mere internal vestiges . Mammals range in size from the 30–40 millimetres (1.2–1.6 in) bumblebee bat to the 30 metres (98 ft) blue whale —possibly the largest animal to have ever lived. Maximum lifespan varies from two years for the shrew to 211 years for the bowhead whale . All modern mammals give birth to live young, except the five species of monotremes , which lay eggs. The most species-rich group

1674-562: The spike protein belonging to coronaviruses taken from pangolins was found to be a 99% match with SARS coronavirus 2 ( SARS-CoV-2 ), the virus which causes COVID-19 and is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic . Researchers in Guangzhou , China, hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 had originated in bats, and prior to infecting humans, was circulating among pangolins. The illicit Chinese trade of pangolins for use in traditional Chinese medicine

1736-416: The sternum and the trachea . Large pangolins can extend their tongues as much as 40 cm (16 in), with a diameter of only about 0.5 cm ( 1 ⁄ 5  in). Most pangolins are nocturnal animals which use their well-developed sense of smell to find insects. The long-tailed pangolin is also active by day, while other species of pangolins spend most of the daytime sleeping, curled up into

1798-783: The IUCN considered all eight species of pangolin on its Red List of Threatened Species as threatened. The IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group launched a global action plan to conserve pangolins, dubbed "Scaling up Pangolin Conservation", in July 2014. This action plan aims to improve all aspects of pangolin conservation with an added emphasis on combating poaching and trafficking of the animal while educating communities on its importance. Another suggested approach to fighting pangolin (and general wildlife) trafficking consists in "following

1860-610: The People's Republic of China included Chinese pangolin scales as an ingredient in TCM formulations. Pangolins were removed from the pharmacopoeia starting from the first half of 2020. Although pangolin scales have been removed from the list of raw ingredients, the scales are still listed as a key ingredient in various medicines. Pangolin parts are also used for medicinal purposes in other Asian countries such as India, Nepal and Pakistan. In some parts of India and Nepal, locals believe that wearing

1922-518: The animal matures. They are made of keratin , the same material from which human fingernails and tetrapod claws are made, and are structurally and compositionally very different from the scales of reptiles. The pangolin's scaled body is comparable in appearance to a pine cone . It can curl up into a ball when threatened, with its overlapping scales acting as armor , while it protects its face by tucking it under its tail. The scales are sharp, providing extra defense from predators. Pangolins can emit

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1984-447: The burrow riding on the mother's back. Weaning takes place around three months of age, when the young begin to eat insects in addition to nursing. At two years of age, the offspring are sexually mature and are abandoned by the mother. The order Pholidota was long considered to be the sister taxon to Xenarthra (neotropical anteaters , sloths , and armadillos ), but recent genetic evidence indicates their closest living relatives are

2046-492: The case of humans, complex language . Mammals can organize themselves into fission–fusion societies , harems , and hierarchies —but can also be solitary and territorial . Most mammals are polygynous , but some can be monogamous or polyandrous . Domestication of many types of mammals by humans played a major role in the Neolithic Revolution , and resulted in farming replacing hunting and gathering as

2108-812: The clade originating with the last common ancestor of Sinoconodon and living mammals. The earliest-known synapsid satisfying Kemp's definitions is Tikitherium , dated 225 Ma , so the appearance of mammals in this broader sense can be given this Late Triassic date. However, this animal may have actually evolved during the Neogene. As of the early 21st century, molecular studies based on DNA analysis have suggested new relationships among mammal families. Most of these findings have been independently validated by retrotransposon presence/absence data . Classification systems based on molecular studies reveal three major groups or lineages of placental mammals— Afrotheria , Xenarthra and Boreoeutheria —which diverged in

2170-444: The closest thing to an official classification of mammals, despite its known issues. Most mammals, including the six most species-rich orders , belong to the placental group. The three largest orders in numbers of species are Rodentia : mice , rats , porcupines , beavers , capybaras , and other gnawing mammals; Chiroptera : bats; and Eulipotyphla : shrews , moles , and solenodons . The next three biggest orders, depending on

2232-1332: The divergence times between these three placental groups range from 105 to 120 million years ago, depending on the type of DNA used (such as nuclear or mitochondrial ) and varying interpretations of paleogeographic data. Monotremata Marsupialia Xenarthra Afrotheria Glires Euarchonta [REDACTED] Eulipotyphla Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora [REDACTED] Perissodactyla [REDACTED] Artiodactyla [REDACTED] Monotremata [REDACTED] Paucituberculata [REDACTED] Didelphimorphia [REDACTED] Microbiotheria Notoryctemorphia [REDACTED] Peramelemorphia [REDACTED] Dasyuromorphia [REDACTED] Diprotodontia [REDACTED] Cingulata [REDACTED] Pilosa [REDACTED] Hyracoidea [REDACTED] Sirenia [REDACTED] Proboscidea [REDACTED] Tubulidentata [REDACTED] Macroscelidea [REDACTED] Afrosoricida [REDACTED] Eulipotyphla [REDACTED] Chiroptera [REDACTED] Pholidota [REDACTED] Carnivora [REDACTED] Perissodactyla [REDACTED] Artiodactyla [REDACTED] Scandentia [REDACTED] Lagomorpha [REDACTED] Gland There are two types of gland each with

2294-585: The earlier Triassic , despite the fact that Triassic fossils in the Haramiyida have been referred to the Mammalia since the mid-19th century. If Mammalia is considered as the crown group, its origin can be roughly dated as the first known appearance of animals more closely related to some extant mammals than to others. Ambondro is more closely related to monotremes than to therian mammals while Amphilestes and Amphitherium are more closely related to

2356-637: The efficacy of those practices, and they have no logical mechanism of action , their popularity still drives the black market for animal body parts, despite concerns about toxicity, transmission of diseases from animals to humans, and species extermination. The ongoing demand for parts as ingredients continues to fuel pangolin poaching, hunting and trading . The first record of pangolin scales occurs in Ben Cao Jinji Zhu ("Variorum of Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica", 500 CE), which recommends pangolin scales for protection against ant bites; burning

2418-451: The end of the 20th century. However, since 1945, a large amount of new and more detailed information has gradually been found: The paleontological record has been recalibrated, and the intervening years have seen much debate and progress concerning the theoretical underpinnings of systematization itself, partly through the new concept of cladistics . Though fieldwork and lab work progressively outdated Simpson's classification, it remains

2480-487: The former, Manis pentadactyla is the sister group to a clade comprising M. crassicaudata and M. javanica . Within the latter, a split separates the large terrestrial African pangolins of the genus Smutsia from the small arboreal African pangolins of the genus Phataginus . Asian and African pangolins are thought to have diverged about 41.37 Ma ago. Moreover, the basal position of Manis within Pholidota suggests

2542-498: The genomes of dead Manis javanica and Manis pentadactyla . To refer to both sampling site and hosts, they were named Dongyang pangolin virus (DYPV) and Lishui pangolin virus (LSPV). The DYPV pestivirus was also identified in Amblyomma javanense nymph ticks from a diseased pangolin. Pangolin scales and flesh are used as ingredients for various traditional Chinese medicine preparations. While no scientific evidence exists for

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2604-461: The group originated in Eurasia, consistent with their laurasiatherian phylogeny. Pangolins are in high demand in southern China and Vietnam because their scales are believed to have medicinal properties in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine . Their meat is also considered a delicacy. 100,000 are estimated to be trafficked a year to China and Vietnam, amounting to over one million over

2666-668: The larger Amniota clade. Early synapsids are referred to as " pelycosaurs ." The more advanced therapsids became dominant during the Guadalupian . Mammals originated from cynodonts , an advanced group of therapsids, during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic . Mammals achieved their modern diversity in the Paleogene and Neogene periods of the Cenozoic era, after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs , and have been

2728-589: The largest volumes of pangolin scales, surpassing Nigeria that year. Pangolins are also hunted and eaten in Ghana and are one of the more popular types of bushmeat , while local healers use the pangolin as a source of traditional medicine. Though pangolins are protected by an international ban on their trade, populations have suffered from illegal trafficking due to beliefs in East Asia that their ground-up scales can stimulate lactation or cure cancer or asthma . In

2790-431: The male and female pangolin meet near a watering hole. Males are larger than females, weighing up to 40% more. While the mating season is not defined, they typically mate once each year, usually during the summer or autumn. Rather than the males seeking out the females, males mark their location with urine or feces and the females find them. If competition over a female occurs, the males use their tails as clubs to fight for

2852-473: The modern name is tenggiling . In Javanese , it is terenggiling ; and in the Philippine languages , it is goling , tanggiling , or balintong (with the same meaning). In ancient India, according to Aelian , it was known as the phattáges (φαττάγης). The physical appearance of a pangolin is marked by large, hardened, overlapping, plate-like scales, which are soft on newborn pangolins, but harden as

2914-818: The money" rather than "the animal", which aims to disrupt smugglers' profits by interrupting money flows. Financial intelligence gathering could thus become a key tool in protecting these animals, although this opportunity is often overlooked. In 2018, a Chinese NGO launched the Counting Pangolins movement, calling for joint efforts to save the mammals from trafficking. Wildlife conservation group TRAFFIC has identified 159 smuggling routes used by pangolin traffickers and aims to shut these down. Many attempts have been made to breed pangolins in captivity, but due to their reliance on wide-ranging habitats and very particular diets, these attempts are often unsuccessful. Pangolins have significantly decreased immune responses due to

2976-431: The only known mammals with this feature. Depending on the species, they live in hollow trees or burrows . Pangolins are nocturnal , and their diet consists of mainly ants and termites , which they capture using their long tongues. They tend to be solitary animals, meeting only to mate and produce a litter of one to three offspring, which they raise for about two years. Pangolins superficially resemble armadillos , though

3038-471: The opportunity to mate with her. Gestation periods differ by species, ranging from roughly 70 to 140 days. African pangolin females usually give birth to a single offspring at a time, but the Asiatic species may give birth to from one to three. Weight at birth is 80 to 450 g ( 2 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 15 + 3 ⁄ 4  oz), and the average length is 150 mm (6 in). At the time of birth,

3100-598: The past decade, numerous seizures of illegally trafficked pangolin and pangolin meat have taken place in Asia. In one such incident in April 2013, 10,000 kg (22,000 pounds) of pangolin meat were seized from a Chinese vessel that ran aground in the Philippines . In another case in August 2016, an Indonesian man was arrested after police raided his home and found over 650 pangolins in freezers on his property. The same threat

3162-555: The past decade. This makes them the most trafficked animal in the world. This, coupled with deforestation , has led to a large decrease in the numbers of pangolins. Some species, such as Manis pentadactyla have become commercially extinct in certain ranges as a result of overhunting. In November 2010, pangolins were added to the Zoological Society of London 's list of evolutionarily distinct and endangered mammals. All eight species of pangolin are assessed as threatened by

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3224-716: The primary source of food for humans. This led to a major restructuring of human societies from nomadic to sedentary, with more co-operation among larger and larger groups, and ultimately the development of the first civilizations . Domesticated mammals provided, and continue to provide, power for transport and agriculture, as well as food ( meat and dairy products ), fur , and leather . Mammals are also hunted and raced for sport, kept as pets and working animals of various types, and are used as model organisms in science. Mammals have been depicted in art since Paleolithic times, and appear in literature, film, mythology, and religion. Decline in numbers and extinction of many mammals

3286-435: The scales are soft and white. After several days, they harden and darken to resemble those of an adult pangolin. During the vulnerable stage, the mother stays with her offspring in the burrow, nursing it, and wraps her body around it if she senses danger. The young cling to the mother's tail as she moves about, although, in burrowing species, they remain in the burrow for the first 2–4 weeks of life. At one month, they first leave

3348-599: The scales as a cure for people crying hysterically during the night. During the Tang dynasty , a recipe for expelling evil spirits with a formulation of scales, herbs, and minerals appeared in 682, and in 752 CE the idea that pangolin scales could also stimulate milk secretion in lactating women, one of the main uses today, was recommended in the Wai Tai Mi Yao ("Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library"). In

3410-605: The scales of a pangolin can help prevent pneumonia. Pangolin scales have also been used for medicinal purposes in Malaysia, Indonesia and northern Myanmar. Indigenous people in southern Palawan , Philippines, have held the belief that elders could avoid prostate illnesses by wearing belts made with the scales. As a result of increasing threats to pangolins, mainly in the form of illegal, international trade in pangolin skin, scales, and meat, these species have received increasing conservation attention in recent years. As of January 2020,

3472-616: The survival of pangolins. These centers work with local aboriginal tribes and forest police in the National Police Agency to prevent poaching, trafficking, and smuggling of pangolins, especially to black markets in China. These centers have also helped to reveal the causes of death and injury among Taiwan's pangolin population. Today, Taiwan has the highest population density of pangolins in the world. Mammals A mammal (from Latin mamma  'breast')

3534-409: The testing which suggested that pangolins were a potential host for the virus was flawed, when genetic analysis showed that the spike protein and its binding to receptors in pangolins had minimal effect from the virus, and therefore were not likely mechanisms for COVID-19 infections in humans. In 2020, two novel RNA viruses distantly related to pestiviruses and coltiviruses have been detected in

3596-548: The therians; as fossils of all three genera are dated about 167 million years ago in the Middle Jurassic , this is a reasonable estimate for the appearance of the crown group. T. S. Kemp has provided a more traditional definition: " Synapsids that possess a dentary – squamosal jaw articulation and occlusion between upper and lower molars with a transverse component to the movement" or, equivalently in Kemp's view,

3658-408: The two adrenal glands are all endocrine glands. Exocrine glands secrete their products through a duct onto an outer or inner surface of the body, such as the skin or the gastrointestinal tract . Secretion is directly onto the apical surface. The glands in this group can be divided into three groups: Exocrine glands can further be categorized by their product: Adenosis is any disease of

3720-698: The two are not closely related; they have merely undergone convergent evolution . Pangolins are threatened by poaching (for their meat and scales, which are used in traditional medicine ) and heavy deforestation of their natural habitats, and are the most trafficked mammals in the world. As of January 2020, there are eight species of pangolin whose conservation status is listed in the threatened tier. Three ( Manis culionensis , M. pentadactyla and M. javanica ) are critically endangered, three ( Phataginus tricuspis , Manis crassicaudata and Smutsia gigantea ) are endangered and two ( Phataginus tetradactyla and Smutsia temminckii ) are vulnerable on

3782-580: The wild. The idea of farming pangolins to reduce the number being illegally trafficked is being explored with little success. The third Saturday in February is promoted as World Pangolin Day by the conservation NPO Annamiticus. World Pangolin Day has been noted for its effectiveness in generating awareness about pangolins. In 2017, Jackie Chan made a public service announcement called WildAid : Jackie Chan & Pangolins (Kung Fu Pangolin) . In December 2020,

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3844-468: Was suggested as a vector for human transmission. However, whole-genome comparison found that the pangolin and human coronaviruses share only up to 92% of their RNA. Ecologists worried that the early speculation about pangolins being the source may have led to mass slaughters, endangering them further, which was similar to what happened to Asian palm civets during the SARS outbreak. It was later proved that

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