Indian pangolin

Front Indian pangolin

The leading Indian pangolin ( Manis crassicaudata ) is a mammal of the family of pangolins ( Manidae ). It lives in South Asia ( " Hindustan ").

Features

Like all pangolins, the top of the head, the back and the flanks, the outer sides of the limbs and tail are covered with horny scales on front Indian pangolin. The scales are yellow-brown, the skin that is visible, for example, the unprotected abdomen is brownish. The front feet carry large grave claws, the hind feet have claws on. The head is constructed very simply, as in all pangolins and toothless, the tongue very long. These animals can reach a body length of 45 to 75 centimeters and a tail length from 33 to 45 centimeters.

Distribution and habitat

These pangolins live in eastern Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. They inhabit a range of habitats such as tropical rain forests, grasslands, but also hill country.

Way of life

Front Indian Pangolins are nocturnal and stay mainly at the bottom. During the day, they retreat in burrows or crevices in the night, they go in search of food. In particular, the animals that inhabit rainforests, often climb trees. They climb with their claws and with its tail, which also acts as a prehensile tail and body weight can bear alone. Outside the mating season, these animals live solitary. In case of threat they can be rolled up into a ball, which is also due to the sharp edges of the horny scales hardly break.

Their diet consists mainly of ants and termites, in addition they also take other insects to him. With the claws of the front feet, they can break the bark or Tierbaue of insects with its long, sticky tongue they take their prey to him. They have no teeth and grind their prey with the stomach.

Threat

Little is known about the level of danger of the front Indian shed animal. The IUCN lists the species as though unharmed, but that is out of date. Probably represent the hunting for their meat and their scales, which have healing powers awarded, and habitat destruction are the leading threats

System

The next of kin of the Indian front shed animal is the Chinese pangolin, with which it forms the subgenus Manis.