SINGAPORE – Under the threat of predators, pangolins roll into a ball of scaly armour that is nearly impenetrable. Unfortunately, this defence is also the mammal’s weakness.
Due to the exaggerated medicinal value of their scales, pangolins – also known as scaly anteaters – are excessively killed and are said to be the most trafficked mammal in the world. Rolling up into a ball also makes it easier for poachers to pick them up.
To educate children on the illegal trade of pangolins, international anti-wildlife trafficking group Traffic launched an animated story about the animal on its website on Feb 16, a day ahead of World Pangolin Day.
The Astounding Secret Pangolin, brought to life by Malaysia-based animator and Traffic volunteer Faril Izzadi Mohd Noor, is based on a book with the same name by illustrator Jeanette Ward and author and book designer Mary Hays, who are both from the United Kingdom.
Over nearly 3½ minutes, the story follows a mother pangolin Sunda and her pup Manis through a rainforest, featuring facts about the pangolin, colourful illustrations and rhymes.
The idea for the story arose when Ms Hays came across a fact sheet on the peculiar mammal in the Cambridge Museum of Zoology in 2016.
Inspired by Traffic’s work in pangolin conservation and having been unable to find a publisher for their book, Ms Hays and Ms Ward donated their story and illustrations to the non-governmental organisation (NGO).
Pangolins are found in Asia and Africa and are in high demand in countries such as Vietnam and China. In traditional Chinese medicine, their scales are believed to treat ailments such as arthritis and lactation difficulties, but these beliefs are scientifically unproven.
Singapore is home to the Sunda pangolin, one of eight species of the critically endangered mammal, and the species that the pangolins in the animated video were based on.
Six-year-old Zen Lau, who was unfamiliar with pangolins before watching the animation, said she felt sad when the pangolins were captured but admired the mother pangolin’s strength for carrying her pup across distances.
After watching the animation, siblings Siya H. Doshi, eight, and Kushaal H. Doshi, nine, also learnt about pangolins for the first time.
Siya said the fun facts in the animation intrigued her, her favourite being how a mother pangolin curls around her pup to protect it. The animation also taught them new words such as “mattock”, a tool used for digging and loosening soil, and “peculiar”.
Kushaal added that he enjoyed the rhymes the most and empathised with the captive pangolins. “They are living things, they should be out in the forest,” he said.
Traffic’s website also provides free lesson materials designed for teachers, including English reading and comprehension exercises based on the video and a fact sheet on pangolins.
Teachers can download the English teaching resources after filling in their name, e-mail address and organisation. Members of the public can type “public” in the “Organisation” field, said Ms Elizabeth John, Traffic’s communications manager.
Instructions on how to create an art print of a pangolin using leaves and a video illustrating the process are available as well.
The materials were designed to help teachers broach the issue of poaching and illegal trade with a young audience, especially in countries with wild pangolins or where pangolins may be consumed.
