Downtown Africa
Pangolins, sometimes known as scaly anteaters are mammals of the order Pholidota (a small order of mammals) from Ancient Greek, clad in scales. The one extant family, the Manidae (a family of mammals that is coextensive with the order Pholidota and that includes the pangolins), has three genera: Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia. Manis comprises the 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. Several extinct pangolin species are also known.
Pangolins have large protective keratin scales (a type of protein that makes up your hair, skin, and nails), similar in material to fingernails and toenails, covering their skin; they are the only known mammals with this feature. They live in hollow trees or burrows, depending on the species. Pangolins are nocturnal (active at night), 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.
