Pangolin, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, are mammals of the order Pholidota. Pangolin are in high demand in southern China and Vietnam because their scales are believed to have medicinal properties in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine. Their meat is also considered a delicacy. 100,000 are estimated to be trafficked a year to China and Vietnam, amounting to over one million over the past decade. This makes them the most trafficked animal in the world.
| Mount Type | Pangolin full mount – dd 023, Pangolin Fullmount – DD088, Pangolin Fullmount – DD24, Pangolin Fullount – DD013 |
|---|
The physical appearance of a Pangolin is marked by large, hardened, overlapping, plate-like scales, which are soft on newborn Pangolin, but harden as the animal matures. They are made of keratin, the same material from which human fingernails and tetrapod claws are made, and are structurally and compositionally very different from the scales of reptiles. The Pangolin scaled body is comparable in appearance to a pine cone. It can curl up into a ball when threatened, with its overlapping scales acting as armour, while it protects its face by tucking it under its tail. The scales are sharp, providing extra defence from predators.
Pangolin can emit a noxious-smelling chemical from glands near the anus, similar to the spray of a Skunk. They have short legs, with sharp claws which they use for burrowing into ant and termite mounds and for climbing.
The tongues of Pangolin are extremely long, and like those of the Giant Anteater and the Tube-Lipped Nectar Bat, the root of the tongue is not attached to the hyoid bone, but is in the thorax between the sternum and the trachea. Large Pangolin can extend their tongues as much as 40 cm (16 in), with a diameter of only about 0.5 cm (1⁄5 in).
Most Pangolin are nocturnal animals which use their well-developed sense of smell to find insects. The Long-Tailed Pangolin is also active by day, while other species of Pangolin spend most of the daytime sleeping, curled up into a ball (“volvation”). Arboreal Pangolin live in hollow trees, whereas the ground-dwelling species dig tunnels to a depth of 3.5 m (11 ft).
Some Pangolin walk with their front claws bent under the foot pad, although they use the entire foot pad on their rear limbs. Furthermore, some exhibit a bipedal stance for some behaviour, and may walk a few steps bipedally. Pangolin are also good swimmers.
Pangolin are insectivorous. Most of their diet consists of various species of ants and termites, and may be supplemented by other insects, especially larvae. They are somewhat particular and tend to consume only one or two species of insects, even when many species are available to them. A Pangolin can consume 140 to 200 g (5 to 7 oz) of insects per day. Pangolin are an important regulator of termite populations in their natural habitats.
Pangolin have very poor vision. They also lack teeth. They rely heavily on smell and hearing, and they have other physical characteristics to help them eat ants and termites. Their skeletal structure is sturdy and they have strong front legs that are used for tearing into termite mounds. They use their powerful front claws to dig into trees, soil, and vegetation to find prey, then proceed to use their long tongues to probe inside the insect tunnels and to retrieve their prey.
The structure of their tongue and stomach is key to aiding Pangolin in obtaining and digesting insects. Their saliva is sticky, causing ants and termites to stick to their long tongues when they are hunting through insect tunnels. Without teeth, Pangolin also lack the ability to chew; but while foraging, they ingest small stones (gastroliths), which accumulate in their stomachs to help to grind up ants. This part of their stomach is called the gizzard, and it is also covered in keratinous spines. These spines further aid in the grinding up and digestion of the Pangolin prey.
Some species, such as the Tree Pangolin, use their strong, prehensile tails to hang from tree branches and strip away bark from the trunk, exposing insect nests inside.
Pangolin are solitary and meet only to mate, with mating typically taking place at night after the male and female Pangolin meet near a watering hole. Males are larger than females, weighing up to 40% more. While the mating season is not defined, they typically mate once each year, usually during the Summer or Autumn. Rather than the males seeking out the females, males mark their location with urine or faeces and the females find them. If competition over a female occurs, the males use their tails as clubs to fight for the opportunity to mate with her.
Gestation periods differ by species, ranging from roughly 70 to 140 days. African Pangolin females usually give birth to a single offspring at a time, but the Asiatic species may give birth to from one to three. Weight at birth is 80 to 450 g (2+3⁄4 to 15+3⁄4 oz), and the average length is 150 mm (6 in). At the time of birth, the scales are soft and white. After several days, they harden and darken to resemble those of an adult Pangolin. During the vulnerable stage, the mother stays with her offspring in the burrow, nursing it, and wraps her body around it if she senses danger. The young cling to the mother’s tail as she moves about, although, in burrowing species, they remain in the burrow for the first 2–4 weeks of life. At one month, they first leave the burrow riding on the mother’s back. Weaning takes place around 3 months of age, when the young begin to eat insects in addition to nursing. At 2 years of age, the offspring are sexually mature and are abandoned by the mother.
The one extant family, the Manidae, has three genera: Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia. Manis comprises four species found in Asia, while Phataginus and Smutsia are all found in sub-Saharan Africa. These species range in size from 30 to 100 cm (12 to 39 in). Arboreal Pangolin live in hollow trees, whereas the ground-dwelling species dig tunnels to a depth of 3.5 m (11 ft).
Pangolin taxidermy is the art of preserving the Pangolin skin and other body parts to produce lifelike sculptures for display, either at home as a hunting trophy or in museums for educational purposes. Skin is preserved and mounted on an artificial armature to display the specimen.
The contemporary English word “taxidermy” is derived from the Greek terms taxis, meaning “movement,” and derma, meaning “skin,” thereby combining these two meanings. This is why, in a broad sense, taxidermy is synonymous with “the motion of skin.”
For expert taxidermists, skills in sculpture, painting, and sketching are just as important as those in carpentry, woodworking, tanning, moulding, and casting.
The remaining parts of the body are synthetic replacements for real organs and tissues. Polyurethane foam is used for the manikin or form, which includes the anatomy of every muscle and vein; glass is used for the eyes; clay is used for the eyelids; for the nose and mouth the foam of the mannequin is sculptured.
Works of taxidermy can be found in a wide range of environments, including museums, classrooms, galleries, stores, restaurants, and private households, due to the complexity and delicate craftsmanship involved in the taxidermy process.
Thorough preparation is the key factor to ensuring a high-quality final product. All hides are tanned and oiled using the world’s very best available chemicals and processes to ensure permanence and longevity. Forms are selected to ensure the best fit and posture will be altered to suit you, the client’s preference without additional cost. Natural habitat bases are custom-made for full mount trophies without additional cost. Only the finest materials and 40 years of professional experience are used in defining your trophies in a whole new way. The final trophies are almost Life-Formed. When the restoration is required, every effort is made to repair cuts and abrasions, and to minimise bullet damage. Natural scarring is kept unless otherwise requested.
Hunting Pangolin is forbidden in South Africa. According to the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, (NEMA) it is illegal to hunt, trade, or even be in possession of a Pangolin in South Africa without a special permit. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species ( (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora also forbids the commercialisation of Pangolins and their products. Pangolins are still illegally hunted and traded for their meat and scales. These parts are used in traditional medicine and even sold as a delicacy in some countries.
Although the illegal wildlife trade is a highly lucrative criminal industry, only recently has there been a push to investigate and better comprehend the underlying financial flows.
South Africa’s wildlife and animal goods, particularly those made from the Rhino, Elephant, and Pangolin, are in high demand around the world, notably in China and other Asian countries.
Organised crime groups have set up a complex distribution network for the trafficking of illegal wildlife items from their initial point of origin to the final destination with the consumer. The demand for these products ultimately fuels criminal activity and associated pricing, therefore the consumer is the key enabler of the entire supply chain.
When making an Pangolin mount, careful planning is key to getting a high-quality result. When tanning and oiling the skins, only the best chemicals and methods are used. This ensures that the skins will last for many years.
Your preferred form for the Pangolin will be chosen after taking your measurements into account, and the posture of your form will be changed at no extra cost. Full-mount Pangolin trophies come with bases made to look like the animal’s natural habitat and made just for the Pangolin mount.
The taxidermy process at Life-Form takes your prized Pangolin trophy and gives it a whole new meaning by using only the best materials and drawing on more than 40 years of experience in the field.
When repair is needed, every effort is made to fix cuts and scrapes and lessen bullet damage. Existing scars are left alone unless the client asks for them to be taken away.
Using the helpful tips below, it’s important to take extra care of your prized Pangolin trophy to make sure it stays in perfect shape for years to come.
The pricing of any trophy is subject to the costing stipulated per taxidermy order, quantity of trophies and preferred mounting options, along with additional requirements.
Should you wish to receive a quotation prior to the hunt, the taxidermist can generate such for you. Please contact [email protected]
Taxidermy is an art form that involves a complicated step-by-step process to make sure that each trophy looks just right and is of a high enough quality that it will last your whole life.
The time it takes a taxidermist to mount an animal might range from days to weeks, and possibly several months, depending on the quantity of trophies per taxidermy order, the display preferences, and volumes of client trophies to be produced, simultaneously, per production schedule.
This depends largely on the “what, how, when” factors. A taxidermy order also only becomes available for production scheduling upon receipt of the required deposit and trophy mounting instructions.
