Description

Activity patterns. Solitary, mostly nocturnal and semi-arboreal. A very poorly known species. In Singapore, a female with young had shelters in hollows located at the base of large, dead or live trees. Entrances were single or double, and diameter was 13 — 24 cm. In contrast, adult males were found resting among dense clumps of grasses such as the cogongrass (I / mperata cylindrical), or on branches of tall trees; they were also observed resting in buildings. Main peak of activity recorded between 03: 00 h and 06: 00 h, but animals can be active at any time of day (especially subadults) and night. Mean active period was 2 - 2 - 5 h / day. A female with young alternated between three shelters 300 - 500 m from one another, the same shelter being used for a mean period of about nine days. Main walk is quadrupedal, arching its back and raising its tail parallel to the ground. Caterpillar-like walk is used to climb large trunks or branches, with the prehensile tail curled up as a support. Legs, sacrum, and a large part of the tail have a network of arteries divided into numerous small vessels (rete mirabile), possibly facilitating blood circulation during powerful and prolonged muscular contractions such as holding the rolled-up defensive posture, typical of pangolins.

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Pholidota

Family: Manidae

Genus: Manis

Species: Manis javanica Desmarest, 1822