You see, pangolins have one weakness: Their soft underside. Let’s just say they get all dressed up with nowhere to go. Pangolins curl into balls when frightened. (Although your mileage may vary with a tub of hair gel and a tail comb.) These scales are arranged in a partially overlapping lattice to provide optimal protection without compromising on flexibility.Įquipped with a coat that will give Colossus a run for his money, how does the pangolin utilise it against its natural enemies?Ģ. Each scale is made of tightly compressed hair finished in a sharp tip for that extra offensive edge. Keratin renders the scales hard and durable. While we may not see any similarities between our bodies and the impressive scale mail pangolins don, believe it or not, the sturdy coat of overlapping scales is actually made of keratin – the same thing our nails and hair are made out of. Pangolins are covered in pinecone-like tough scales made of keratin. They are currently the only mammal discovered that is fully covered in scales! That brings us to our first phenomenal pangolin fact:ġ. A mammal – nope, not a reptile – covered in scales? It looks almost like a waddling pinecone or a less flamboyant dragonfruit! If this is your first time hearing about a pangolin this World Pangolin Day or World Wildlife Day, it might seem like a render from a video game. What marvellous mammal has armour that will make a knight envious, and can curl up into a near-perfect sphere?

Shall I Take a Bite? by Drewscape