Pangolin
Manis javanica belongs to the Mammalian order Pholidota, meaning ‘scaled animals’. The common name ‘pangolin’ is from the Malayan term ‘peng-goling’ (a roller) and refers to the animal’s defence strategy of rolling into a ball (Gotch, 1979). Malayan pangolins are strikingly unique creatures, whose coat of movable and sharp-tipped scales are reminiscent of descriptions of a dragon's armor or "living pine cones" as they are nicknamed. They are 79-88 cm long, including the tail, and males are typically larger than females. They are covered from just above the nostrils to the tips of their tails by many rows of overlapping scales (17-19 rows on midsection and >20 rows along tail) . The scales on the back and sides are olive-brown to yellowish and hard. These scales are derived from hairs. The underbelly and face are covered in whitish to pale-brown hair, and the skin is gray to bluish. Males are larger than females. The species has a small conic