Pangolins are among the more unique and peculiar animals that exist today. These prehistoric animals have been around for 80 million years and are the only known mammals to have skin covered with large, protective scales. They also have prehensile tails which they use to climb trees.
Sunda pangolins are found in a number of countries across Southeast Asia. Today they are extremely rare in the northern portion of their range due to poaching, and are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
More than a million pangolins are estimated to have been taken from the wild since 2000, with poaching for their meat and scales, driven particularly by demand from China and Vietnam, considered to be the main cause of population declines. Pangolins are believed to be the most trafficked mammal in the world. Sadly, Sunda pangolins are predicted to decline by a further 80% within the next two decades unless urgent action is taken.