Are pangolins potentially as appealing as koalas, pandas, sea otters, etc.?

DavidBrown

DavidBrown

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I have a genuine query that I would appreciate some input on from the Zoochat community.

Pangolins are mostly an unknown animal, even to die-hard animal fans like ourselves, despite their unfortunate role as the most illegally-trafficked mammals in the world.

Whenever I see pictures of pangolins I see an animal as adorable as a koala, a sea otter, or a panda. From perusing websites and media coverage it seems that people really like pangolins once they learn what they are.

I have a colleague who said that people don't find pangolins appealing because they are scaly rather than fuzzy like koalas and sea otters. My counterargument was that the vast majority of people don't know what pangolins are because they are almost never seen in zoos and they have no presence in popular culture to speak of (except for minor appearances like the new version of "Jungle Book").

Even though pangolins are scaly they can do a lot of things that koalas don't like roll up into a ball and hang from their prehensile tails.

I would be interested in your opinion if you think that pangolins could possibly have the mass appeal of koalas or sea otters if enough people knew about them. Or is it more likely that they would be of limited interest? Really I would be interested in any thoughts that you have on this topic.
 
basically, animals get mass appeal if they are furry and cuddly, ideally looking like living toys, or if they are dangerous. Cold-blooded animals don't get that unless they are crocodiles, giant snakes, sharks, etc and even then the major appeal they have is the one of the thrill.

Pangolins are oddball. They have scales like a reptile, tiny eyes, they just don't have the essential characteristics.
 
Chlidonias said:
basically, animals get mass appeal if they are furry and cuddly, ideally looking like living toys, or if they are dangerous. Cold-blooded animals don't get that unless they are crocodiles, giant snakes, sharks, etc and even then the major appeal they have is the one of the thrill.

Pangolins are oddball. They have scales like a reptile, tiny eyes, they just don't have the essential characteristics.
Click to expand...

This rule isn't without exception. Animals can be popular for a variety of reasons, regardless of their perceived cuddliness/danger factor, eg. octupuses, clownfish, chameleons, parrots, meerkats, giraffes, and even horses. Given the right PR, I think David's right: pangolins are unique, cute and charismatic enough to become popular. Perhaps not up there with koalas and giant pandas (oh, stop it), but certainly competing with the likes of red pandas and tapirs.

Husbandry aside, however, the major issue is that they're nocturnal and not very active. As a result, Leipzig's are only visible at feeding times, San Diego's during public encounter sessions, and the Night Safari's as a sleeping pine-cone. None of these situations are conducive to widespread appeal.

For my part, we should worry less about creating or promoting "animal superstars" and recognize that the species conservation paradigm is itself an endangered species. Zoos should instead educate visitors on the value of biodiversity and lead by example in supporting habitat conservation, rather than channelling resources into their most popular species.
 
Have you ever encountered a pangolin?
When I lived in Africa 40 years ago, I had friends who had inherited a collection of pets and were brought young animals by local hunters. To be frank, I did not entirely approve of this practice at the time - and I certainly would not do so now.
However when I visited them, I had the opportunity to meet and photograph their pets. The ones I found most attractive were their Demidoff's galago and their two young tree pangolins. Take my word for it, pangolins are charming creatures. They are friendly and inoffensive, with a mild curiosity towards the world in general and a much keener desire to investigate any small hole which might possibly contain ants or termites. Unfortunately, they are not easy to keep without specialist knowledge and appropriate diet items. I would certainly never recommend them as pets.
In my next batch of scans I will include some of my photos of one of these pangolins, and of the Demidoff's.

Alan
 
I think pangolins are unique and interesting enough that if they were put in zoos, there's a good chance they'd be popular with guests.
 
They would certainly be popular, if an exhibit was built that would keep them active. They're certainly unique enough to draw public attention, but like other animals that do this (such as echidnas) also usually aren't very active, and popularity is lost.
 
Five photos of my friend's pet white-bellied pangolin (tree pangolin) are now in the Off Topic Gallery.



Alan
 
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There are already zoos (Taipei, Leipzig, LA) keeping pangolins. And while some of these institutions try their best to promote them, I haven't yet observed any visitors skipping elephants, tigers, gorillas, polar bears etc. to get to them.

Maybe Disney should give them a prominent role in the next Zootopia installment to boost their popularity...;)
 
Who knows with the Pokemon craze going around pangolins and armadillos might gain "viral status" for their resemblance of the Pokemon ball things.

Seriously though, I too wish they could be more popular than they are and I am look forward to the day that happens.... just not holding my breath!
 
Batto said:
Maybe Disney should give them a prominent role in the next Zootopia installment to boost their popularity...;)
Click to expand...

Off topic, but did you also note the absence of primates in that flick? For the sequel: Monkey Crime Division.

As to the original question, yes, they could be interesting. I like them. Anything with a prehensile tail is worth a look in my book.
 
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