The lion, one of the most powerful predators in the animal kingdom, is known for its ferocious ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋs on prey. Pangolins are a common target among the many creatures that fall prey to the lion. Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, are mammals covered in complex, overlapping scales that serve as armor against predators. They are found in Africa and Asia and are ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ by habitat loss, ʜᴜɴᴛɪɴɢ, and ɪʟʟᴇɢᴀʟ trade. This article will examine the lion’s ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ on pangolins and the pangolin’s defense mechanism.
British wildlife guide Mark Sheridan-Johnson captured on film this big inquisitive cat which spent a long time trying to devour the odd-looking creature in the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania. The rare, armor-plated pangolin had the perfect defense tactic: roll up into a ball and stay there – whatever happens. The images show how the ʜᴀᴘʟᴇss lion appeared confused by its spherical prey as it ʙᴀᴛᴛᴇᴅ the creature with its paws and even tried to carry it around in its mouth.
When a lion ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋs a pangolin, it uses its powerful jaws and sharp teeth to try to bite through the pangolin’s hard scales. However, the pangolin’s scales are made of keratin, the same material that makes up human fingernails, and are very tough. When ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ , a pangolin will curl into a tight ball, with its head and legs tucked inside its shell of scales. This makes it nearly impossible for the lion to bite through the rankings and reach the ᴠᴜʟɴᴇʀᴀʙʟᴇ flesh underneath.
When caught by large predators such as lions, they work their muscles into a cutting action to ʟᴀᴄᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ the mouths of their adversaries. The ɪɴᴊᴜʀɪᴇs caused can be sᴇᴠᴇʀᴇ for the animal attempting to eat the pangolin. Pangolins survive using their sensitive tongues, which can grow up to 16 inches long, to probe ant nests and termite mounds to eat the insects inside.
‘In the end, the lion gave up and wandered off in search of something else, and the pangolin escaped,’ said Mark.
‘He stayed in his ball for a long time until it got dark, just to make sure he was safe.’
The Selous Game Reserve is Africa’s largest protected wildlife reserve, covering five percent of Tanzania’s total land mass.
It is located in the country’s remote southeast and comprises gushing rivers, rolling hills, and sprawling plains.
The reserve is named in honor of British explorer Frederick Courtney Selous, who wrote a book about his travels in the region and was ᴋɪʟʟᴇᴅ there during the First World Wᴀʀ.
The lion’s ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ on pangolins reminds us of the ʜᴀʀsʜ realities of life in the animal kingdom. As we work to protect ᴠᴜʟɴᴇʀᴀʙʟᴇ species like pangolins, it is essential to remember the complex web of predator-prey relationships that exist in the natural world.
Thank you for visiting our website! We hope you find something of interest on our website. Watch the full video here: