After 80 million years on earth, a shy and scaly wild animal is rapidly dying out in India

[n2doc]

A handful of animals hold public attention when it comes to wildlife conservation in India. The lion, tiger, rhino, and elephant receive overwhelming focus, partly because of the drama attached to their sightings in the wild and partly owing to their tourism potential.
A few birds such as the great Indian bustard and the Indian vulture, too, get talked about.

Yet, India’s—and the world’s—most hunted animal is none of these. It is the pangolin, a toothless, pre-historic mammal that is estimated to have lived on earth for nearly 80 million years. In 2015, pangolins were the most traded species in India.

The sticky-tongued pangolin thrives on ants and termites. When threatened, the generally shy animal rolls itself into a ball protected by a scaly armour—pangolins are the only mammals with scales—so tough that they can withstand even a blow with an axe.

Tragically, their protective shield is the primary cause for their near-extinction.

more
http://qz.com/643400/after-80-million-years-on-earth-a-shy-and-scaly-wild-animal-is-rapidly-dying-out-in-india/
Stupid people suck

[Ghost Dog]

1. Armoured defensive behaviour good during 80 million years,

until our overwhelming population explosion.

[eppur_se_muova]

2. Also extensively smuggled and hunted in SE Asia -- considered a delicacy in China.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pangolin&sitesearch=democraticunderground.com&gws_rd=ssl

[mountain grammy]

3. Man's impact on planet earth and it's inhabitants has been disastrous.

from the article:

After 80 million years on earth, the pangolin may have finally met its nemesis in a species that is just eight million old.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. David Attenborough had them as 1 of his 10 'animals to save on an ark'

Pangolin section from 32:30:

[Nihil]

5. 80 million years of survival then driven to extinction in less than a thousand years ...

> It is the pangolin, a toothless, pre-historic mammal that is estimated to have lived
> on earth for nearly 80 million years.

Until very recently (last few centuries), even predation by humans was within the
limits that this ancient species could handle. What it can't manage is the rapacious
out of control growth of a species that developed effectively unlimited transport,
unlimited capability to kill, unlimited capacity for greed and unlimited stupidity in
believing that pieces of random creatures will help erections ...


> In 2015, pangolins were the most traded species in India.

There are times when a disease that kills 99.99% of humans would be a truly wonderful
solution to the problems of planet Earth.