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PANDUANHEWAN · INDONESIA

Sunda pangolin

A scaled, ant- and termite-eating mammal threatened by illegal trade. Climbing and secretive behaviour make direct observation difficult.

PanduanHewan·Updated 19 September 2026·Manis javanica
About this guideCompiled and checked against the listed sources; not yet expert reviewed.

A mammal with scales

Pangolins are mammals despite their covering of scales, which are made of keratin. Appearance alone does not determine animal classification: comparing a pangolin with a Komodo dragon helps distinguish visual similarity from biological relationship. The two have very different living requirements.

A specialist in small prey

Ants and termites are the principal foods of pangolins. This specialised diet differs from that of omnivores such as sun bears. An apparently quiet animal can still have needs difficult for people to meet. Do not take one into captivity or experiment with household foods when encountering it.

Trees, shelter, and range

Sunda pangolins use trees more than their relative, the Chinese pangolin. Their range covers parts of Southeast Asia, including several major Indonesian islands. Research by Nursamsi and colleagues in 2023 indicates that previously disturbed forests can still matter for conservation when poaching is controlled. This finding does not justify new deforestation.

Reading wildlife-trade data

TRAFFIC’s Indonesian reporting documents trade through seizure records. Those data show detected activity, not a direct count of all wild pangolins or all trafficking. Seizure totals can be affected by enforcement effort. They should not be turned into population estimates without additional analysis.

Helping without buying

If you encounter an offer to sell a pangolin, use the wildlife-trade reporting guide and retain evidence safely. Buying an animal to rescue it still pays the seller. Avoid publicly disclosing precise wild-animal locations; provide that information privately to officers able to respond.

Sources & references

  1. IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group — Sunda pangolin ↗
  2. IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group — Pangolin biology ↗
  3. TRAFFIC — Indonesian pangolin seizure research ↗
  4. Nursamsi et al. — Habitat disturbance research, 2023 ↗
  5. Pangolin Specialist Group — Regional strategy and distribution, 2018–2028 ↗

References can change. Check dates and context in the original source.