ANI062-00353
An endangered juvenile and mother white bellied tree pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) at the Pangolin Conservation in St. Augustine, FL. This juvenile is only 70 days old. She is the first of her species to be bred in captivity.
Frustratingly, traditional Chinese medicine falsely believes the unique protective keratin scales (the same material as your fingernails) have curative properties. This has resulted in massive illegal taking of pangolins from the wild. With the four species of Asian pangolins becoming endangered, smugglers are now turning their attention to the four found in Africa, including this species.
Keywords
- captivity
- Chinese
- Close-up
- endangered
- Endangered Species
- Florida
- Juvenile
- juvenile animal
- keratin
- mammal
- Medicine
- mom
- Mother
- Pangolin Conservation
- pangolins
- Phataginus tricuspis
- Photo Ark
- rare
- Scale
- side view
- smuggler
- St. Augustine
- studio shot
- three quarters length
- three-cusped pangolin
- tree pangolin
- two animals
- two mammals
- white background
- white-bellied pangolin
This photo © Joel Sartore 2023. Image usage guidelines
This photo is part of the Photo Ark.
