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Have u seen one? Where? How? When?

A female gives birth to 1 young after a gestation of 5 months

They feed mainly on termites and ants depending on the season.

They are also known as "the roller" due to their habit of rolling into a ball for protection. They are the only known mammal to possess scales. Rumour has it that this armor of scales can deflect a bullet from a .303 rifle fired from 100m.

Unfortunatley the scales are highly sought after and thought to be one of the most powerful mutis. A scale can be sold for as much as R100. In congo they are slaughtered and smoked as a delicacy. Ridiculous if you ask me.

I would love to c one someday.

I saw one when I was all of 7 years old, in the Kalahari. As with most memories from that age it's hard to know exactly how much is memory and how much is the memory of discussing it with my folks in later years. I'd love to see one again!

I wonder if breeding them the way people breed cattle specifically for market would work well. That way people could continue to eat them if they wish without decimating the wild population.

Saw one in Lower Sabie when I was still knee high to an elephant (around 12 to 14 years old). Has walked up to the fence with a torch hoping to spot something around the dam and heard a sound. Turned the torch on and there it was.

Since then I have only come across it's tracks when crossing sand roads (Usually around the S100). Haven't seen one since.

I was lucky enough to see one in April 2001 when I did my ecotraining at Elephant Plains

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Here is the pangolin Freda and I saw at Elephants plains during ecotraining.

I have seen 6 in total - 3 in Sabie Sands, 2 others near Tzaneen-Hoedspruit area, and Soutpansberg 1.

Haven't yet seen in Kruger, and not many seem to. They have very large home-ranges and thus live at low densities according to last study done.

They are definintely a top mammal species to see !

Regards,

wj

This sighting was radioed to some exclusive lodges in Sabie Sands and when they arrived one guide didn't know what it was, another tried to pick it up and cut his finger One of their guests wanted to pick it up and use it as a football and another guide suggested that if he drove his vehicle over it and revved his engine it would uncurl.
No wonder the poor things don't put in an appearance very often.
It was an amazing sighting and we were told "This is what NOT to do as a guide."

Have seen lions playing soccer ('football') with rolled up pangolins.

It appears that it is only the larger male lions that can actually prize one open - so I have been told.

I hope that guides finger was cut off.

Regards,

wj

They are listed as vulnerable in the new Red Data book publication on mammals in SA (2003, think). The estimate for Kruger park, based on a sabie sands study, is in region of 1, 000 - which is so low that it is no wonder people dont see them that often ! A leopard of same numbers in park is easier to see, though it is larger.

regards,

wj

Seen one at patrolling the Balule camp at night looong ago.

Saw one about 500m outside Satara in September 2004. Most amazing too see it with its tiny forelegs! Was a fleeting glimpse, but very special.
Have also commonly seen them in the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve.

I saw my 1st one (in 30 years) this April in the burnt veld near Lower Sabie.
He could hide with absolute minimal cover and was very shy.
A very special sighting as we nicknamed our Sergeant-Major "Ietermagog", afrikaans for Pangolin. I prefer the mammal above the military version.

Saw their spoor once on a bushwalk. Or at least that is what I was told.
I am always amazed at how people can read squiggles on the groun.

Apparently they are quite "comman" along the gravel road between Phabeni gate and Skukuza.

To see a live pangolin, befriend Jonathan Swart, the ecological manager of the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. He has completed a doctoral thesis on these creatures.
Not in the KNP though, but a friend of mine came across a pangolin 2 nights ago on the outskirts of nelspruit at about 11pm, happily walking across the road.