INDIAN PANGOLIN.
IUCN Status: Endangered (A3d+4d)
Distribution: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Distinguishing characteristics: The Indian pangolin has the most western distribution in Asia with a range extending into two regions of Pakistan. It can be distinguished from other Asian pangolins by the size of its scales, which reach a considerably larger size than scales of the Chinese, Sunda and Philippine pangolins. Like the Chinese pangolin it has a principally fossorial as opposed to arboreal lifestyle and noticeably larger front claws than the Sunda and Philippine pangolins.
Reproduction: The Indian pangolin usually has one offspring, though two have been reported, after a gestation period of 65-70 days, which is much shorter than for other species of pangolin.
Facts: Although normally shy, Indian pangolins are reported to wander into villages and have been known to dig through concrete and into houses.
IMPORTANT POINTS
In shorts.
Indian pangolin
●Indian Pangolin, also called thick-tailed pangolin and scaly anteater is a pangolin native to the Indian subcontinent.
● Like other pangolins, it has large, overlapping scales on its body which act as armour.
●It can also curl itself into a ball as self-defence against predators such as the tiger.
●Indian Pangolin is widely distributed in India, except the arid region, high Himalayas and the North-East.
● It can be found at elevation up to 2500 m. The species also occurs in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
●IUCN has classified the Indian pangolin as Endangered.
●Listed in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.