At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Indian pangolin is a large, scale-covered, ant-eating mammal of South Asia. It is assessed as Endangered.
It rolls into an armoured ball when threatened, but this is no defence against hunters.
Range & habitat
South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Poaching and trafficking for scales and meat
- Habitat loss
Why it matters
Heavily targeted by the illegal wildlife trade, the Indian pangolin is part of the global pangolin crisis and a flagship against trafficking.
Sources
Sources for Indian Pangolin
- IUCN Red List — look up Indian Pangolin (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Indian pangolins poached?
They are hunted for their keratin scales (used in some traditional medicines) and meat, which has made pangolins among the most trafficked mammals worldwide.
Why is the Indian pangolin Endangered?
Published assessments cite poaching and trafficking together with habitat loss across South Asia. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: