Pangolin species around the world are under severe threat due to the demand for their scales and meat, mainly by consumers in China and Vietnam. In Namibia, the Temminck’s ground pangolin occurs across much of the country (excluding the extremely arid west and south) and is increasingly targeted by poachers, yet its status and ecological requirements are poorly understood.
Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, are covered in scales which consist of keratin. Despite their primeval or reptilian-like appearance, they are in fact placental mammals. The first fossil records originate from over 60 million years ago. Despite this long history of survival, pangolins were the most trafficked mammal worldwide in 2014. Two years later, all eight species were
