lickystickypickywe: A baby pangolin and an adult one. Habitat: throughout Africa and AsiaStatus
lickystickypickywe:A baby pangolin and an adult one.Habitat: throughout Africa and AsiaStatus: varies from Least Concern to Endangered, depending on species Meet the creature that looks just like a walking pine cone. This is the Pangolin (order Pholidota) which is otherwise known as a Scaly Anteater.There are eight extant species of this bizarre creature that all share the same characteristic artichoke-esque appearance. Those scaly plates are made of keratin - the same material that human fingernails are made of. When a pangolin is born, the plates are quite soft but as it matures they become increasingly harder. Pangolins can curl up into a ball and tuck their heads under their scales (which are actually very sharp) to protect themselves from any danger. As you might imagine, this is a similar predatory defense as used by the armadillo. And just in case the predator isn’t deterred by a rock-hard meal, the Pangolin has the ability to emit a noxious-smelling acid from their anal glands. -- source link