Giant Pangolin

distribution

Distribution: Senegal to W Kenya, south to Rwanda, C Dem. Rep. Congo and SW Angola.

Order Pholidota

distribution

DISTRIBUTION: Senegal to W Kenya, south to Rwanda, C Zaire and SW Angola.

Order Pholidota

distribution

DISTRIBUTION: Senegal to W. Kenya, south to Rwanda, C. Zaire and S. W. Angola.

Order Pholidota

activity

Activity patterns. Solitary, nocturnal, and terrestrial, the Giant Pangolin is a secretive species difficult to survey. During the day, opportunistically rests in burrows, dead and fallen trees, dense vegetation (thickets, piles of plant debris), and simple tunnels dig under ant or termite mounds. The tunnels are used for resting and feeding, and have many openings; the mean depth of the gallery network usually is 50 - 60 cm. The Giant Pangolin’s gait is an alternated walk with alternative rising of the tail; when the tail is down, it leaves deep drag marks on the ground. May leave numerous footprints along river banks in riparian forests; plantigrade hindfeet leave tracks similar to those of a small elephant. Poor swimmer, crossing streams with body entirely submerged, nose emerging, paddling with feet. Absence of pronosupination in forefeet, but powerful pronation of hindfeet due to a specific muscular flexor, supporting bipedism (although bipedal walk might be less frequent than in the Ground Pangolin, M. temminckii). Body temperature approximately 34 ° C during daytime, slightly below the usual mammalian range; may decrease to 26 ° C when ambient temperature reaches 17 ° C (und

Manidae