Pangolins are very special animals with no close relatives. There are nine species in the world, and Taiwan is home to the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). This species is small and is listed as Critically Endangered (CR).

The ninth pangolin species was discovered only recently. No one has seen it in the wild, but scientists found a new type of pangolin scale while studying illegal wildlife trade. They believe this mystery pangolin is closely related to the Chinese pangolin.

For a long time, people did not know how to take care of pangolins. Their diet is very special—they eat only ants and termites. Because of this, Taipei Zoo spent 20 years creating the first special pangolin food. Now, it is the first zoo in the world to successfully raise and breed pangolins.

However, caring for pangolins is difficult. They are very sensitive and need careful attention. In the past, many pangolins died every month because caretakers did not know how to care for them properly. Hsuan-Yi Lo told us that zookeepers once joked, “If no pangolins die this month, we’ll celebrate with roast duck!” This shows how hard it was to care for them.

◎Taxonomic Classification of the Chinese Pangolin

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Class Mammalia

Order Pholidota

Family Manidae

Genus Manis