Expedition 🇰🇪 Kenya
Pangolin in Kenya
The world's most trafficked mammal — a scaly anteater that curls into an armoured ball when threatened.
The species
Pangolins are the only mammals covered in scales — keratin plates that protect them when they roll into a tight ball, presenting an impenetrable sphere to lions and leopards. They walk on hind legs, tail extended for balance, and use a long sticky tongue to slurp ants and termites from nests.
Habitat in Kenya
Savanna woodland, forest, and grassland across sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia hold pangolins. The ground pangolin ranges from Kenya and Tanzania through southern Africa, foraging at night with a keen sense of smell.
Where to spot one
Masai Mara National Reserve
Southwest Kenya
Open savanna where lion prides patrol the grassland and the Great Migration crosses the Mara River from July to October.
Amboseli National Park
Southern Kenya
Elephants against the backdrop of Kilimanjaro — wetlands, plains, and some of Africa's most photographed wildlife.
Lake Nakuru National Park
Rift Valley
Flamingo-fringed lake, rhino sanctuary, and acacia woodland — compact but spectacular.
Tsavo East & West
Coastal Kenya
Vast red-dust wilderness — lions, elephants, and the legendary man-eaters of Tsavo lore.
Conservation status
All pangolin species are Critically Endangered or Endangered, devastated by illegal trade. International commercial trade is banned, but poaching continues across Africa and Asia.
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