African Tree Pangolin

The upper surface of all pangolins is covered with rows of overlapping scales that are arranged like the tiles on a roof. In newborn animals, these scales are still soft and do not overlap. Their number remains constant throughout the animal’s life. Regarding their shape and origin, the scales are a protrusion of the dermis. The keratinous scales are formed through cornification of the epidermis around those protrusions. When threatened, pangolins roll into a ball, offering very few points of attack. The pangolins’ long tongue is an adaptation to their diet, which consists of ants and termites.