Today is World Pangolin Day, an event dedicated to highlighting this unique and rare mammal. Eight different species of pangolins live in Asia and Africa, and all are known for their solitary, nocturnal lives. Those sharp, protective scales are made of keratin, the same stuff as your hair and fingernails. Pangolins also have short legs and long, curved claws that come in handy when digging into an ant mound or a termite nest for food. By curling into a ball, the pangolin protects its belly and the inner parts of its limbs—the only areas of a pangolin’s body not covered by thick scales. But that defense is useless against its biggest threats, which include deforestation and poaching. We’re grateful for the conservation organizations around the world that are working to protect this species and its habitat.
It’s not a pinecone, it’s a pangolin
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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In memory of those lost
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Tiny fliers head south
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Atop the Needle of Chamonix
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Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
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Hidden beauty in Thailand
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World Book Day
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San Blas Islands, Panama
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It s National Hispanic Heritage Month
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Beech trees and wild anemones, Jutland, Denmark
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Cherry blossoms at the National Mall, Washington, DC
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A sizzling summit hides in the clouds
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Jaguar in the Pantanal wetlands
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Old Town in Prague, Czech Republic
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Flying high on National Bird Day
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World Lion Day
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Galeries Lafayette, Paris
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To Sua Ocean Trench
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Diwali
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’Chess on ice’
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Ruins of St. Dwynwens Church, Ynys Llanddwyn, Wales
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A horse of many colors
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National Park Week: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
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Fresh water on the Silk Road
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La Rocque Harbour, Island of Jersey
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Tigh Mor Trossachs on Loch Achray, Scotland
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FOR FOREST by Klaus Littmann
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A city of bridges
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A long, erratic commute
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Adorably evolutionary sea sheep
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It s superb owl Sunday