Fauna
Mammal

Ground Pangolin

Manis temminckii

Also known as Temminck's Pangolin, Cape Pangolin, Steppe Pangolin

Ground pangolins walk primarily bipedally on their hind legs, using their muscular tails for counterbalance while holding their heavily clawed front paws curled against their chests. Thick overlapping keratin scales shield their bodies, and when threatened, an individual curls into an impenetrable armored sphere that can withstand the jaws of large predators. They emerge at dusk to sniff out underground insect nests, using immense front claws to dig through rock-hard termite mounds and a sticky tongue longer than their head and torso combined to lap up prey.

NocturnalArmoredInsectivorous
Ground Pangolin reference
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyTermites, Ants
Predators
  • Lion
  • Leopard
  • Spotted hyena
ThreatsIllegal poaching for bushmeat and traditional medicine scales, electric game fences, and habitat fragmentation
HabitatsSavanna woodlands, dry grasslands, scrublands, and bushveld
Life span15–20 years in the wild
Classification
  1. FamilyManidae
  2. SpeciesManis temminckii
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Docile and harmless; observe quietly from a respectful distance without touching.
What to notice
Look for a large, yellowish-brown armored mammal walking on its two rear legs across savanna clearings after dark.
Support conservation
Maintain complete silence, give at least ten meters of space, and never share GPS coordinates on public forums.
Responsible observation
  • Keep Your Distance: If approached or alarmed, it will tightly curl into a protective ball and may cease foraging.
  • Conceal Scent and Lights: Use red-filtered light at night to observe natural foraging without blinding the animal.
  • Do Not Disclose Exact Locations: Never post geo-tagged photos, as pangolins face severe poaching pressure.
Related species
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