#pangolinawareness

[sweetstonestudio]

This little rascal turned out so much better than I thought it would. I love it! From discoverwildlife.com: "The word ‘pangolin’ comes from the Malay word ‘penggulung’, which means ‘one that rolls up’. When it is threatened a pangolin will curl itself into a tight ball, which is impenetrable to predators." (Except humans) "Pangolins are hunted for meat, for use in traditional medicine and as fashion accessories. The large-scale illegal trade in Asian pangolins is drastically driving down their numbers." . . #pangolins #pangolinart #pangolinawareness #pangolin   #wemakecollective #handmadeisbest #favehandmade #ceramics #porcelain #makersgonnamake #instagramartist #originalart #engineer #pottery #ceramicart #artistsoninstagram #creativeminds #etsyseller #destin #homedecor #deskdecor #destinartist #30a #kilnfired #sculptureart #porcelainart #smallsculpture #originalartwork #aurawinworks (at Destin, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnOjGanAcyK/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1d0lx7z7q8isf

[knowyourpangolin]

Another great resource on Pangolin conservation is the WWF website.

[knowyourpangolin]

Why Pangolins?

Ok, so pangolins are just about as tumblr as it gets. For starters, they are the weirdest mixture of odd and adorable that makes posting about them just irresistible.

They seem to be some sort of mixture between an armadillo, an and eater and a T-Rex. In fact they are none of these things, but rather a the only living member of the family Manidae. Oh and also, they carry their babies on their backs.

So yeah. They’re really cute. So other than to bless your life, why would I be bringing your attention to this majestic creature? Well it turns out, most species of pangolin are endangered with two species being critically endangered. Why you may ask? Well unfortunately this is due to overhunting by humans.

So why would anyone want to kill one of these magnificent animals? Well in parts of China and Vietnam, the meat is considered a delicacy and the scales are sold as traditional medicine. However, there is little to no evidence that suggests these scales have any medicinal effects. In fact, pangolin scales are made of carotin, the same stuff your fingernails are made from. You might as well just crush up your extra nail clippings and put them in some tea. It would have about the same effect.

This is a huge threat as pangolins play a vital role in the ecosystem as their long tongues help them to control termite populations. The biggest issue is lack of awareness. Let’s be honest, how many of you knew what a pangolin was before you read this? I’m going to guess not many. So if you really want to help, then spread the word. Reblog this post. Tweet it out. Make sure everyone knows about these critters before it’s too late.

Most importantly, if you see something, say something. The pangolin trade is highly illegal worldwide. If you see or hear about someone selling pangolin meat or scales, then report it to your local authorities.