Conservationists call for the protection of pangolinsAP, CAPE TOWNThey are hunted for their unique scales, and the demand makes them the most-trafficked mammal in the world. Wildlife conservationists again raised the plight of pangolins, the shy, scaly anteaters found in parts of Africa and Asia, on World Pangolin Day yesterday. All of them face a high, very high or extremely high risk of extinction. While they are sometimes known as scaly anteaters, pangolins are not related in any way to anteaters or armadillos. Nigeria is home to three of the four African pangolin species, but they are not well known among the country’s 240 million people.

Source: Taipei Times February 21, 2026 18:26 UTC