Annihilation of the Pangolins | nftshowroom X alienarthive challenge for APRIL: Theme: "Flora and Fauna" - No. 5

Pangolins, also called scaly anteaters, are mammals that have large, protective keratin scales, covering their skin. Depending on the species, they live in hollow trees or burrows. I had no idea that Pangolins are nocturnal, and their diet consists of mainly ants and termites, which they capture using their long tongues. The tongues can stretch longer than their own bodies.

These nocturnal, insectivorous mammals play a vital ecological role by regulating termite and ant populations and helping maintain healthy soils and forests. ²

They tend to be solitary animals, meeting only to mate and produce a litter of one to three offspring, which they raise for about two years.

The name "Pangolin" comes from the Malay word "pengguling" that means "one who rolls up" from guling or giling "to roll". However, the modern name is "tenggiling".

I was surprised by the physical appearance of a Pangolin because it resembles the animal I know best -- the Armadillo. The Pangolin is marked by large, hardened, overlapping, plate-like scales, which are soft on newborn pangolins. However, as the animal matures, its scales harden. The scales are made of keratin, the same material from which human fingernails and tetrapod claws are made, and are structurally and compositionally very different from the scales of reptiles.

The Pangolin's scaled body is comparable in appearance to a pine cone. It can curl up into a ball, similar to the armadillo, when threatened, with its overlapping scales acting as armor, while it protects its face by tucking it under its tail. The scales are sharp, providing extra defense from predators.

Pangolins are threatened the most by human intervention. The most danger comes from poaching for their meat and scales, which are used in traditional medicine. Also, heavy deforestation of their natural habitats have reduced the species number significantly.

Listed as the most trafficked mammals in the world, as of January 2020, there were eight species whose conservation status was listed in the threatened tier.¹

Key drivers of their decline include:

• relentless poaching for their scales, used in traditional medicine-particularly in parts of Asia;
• demand for bushmeat and luxury cuisine, especially in certain African and Southeast Asian markets;
• habitat destruction due to deforestation and agricultural expansion;
• Weak enforcement of international and national laws aimed at protecting them.

It is reported that between 2016 to 2024, seizures of Pangolin products involved more than an estimated half a million Pangolins across 75 countries and 178 trade routes. Pangolin scales accounted for 99% of confiscated parts.

Even with heightened awareness and diligent efforts to curb the trafficking across continents, information campaigns, and international trade bans, enforcement agencies warm that seizures represent only a small fraction of the actual volume in circulation, with countless shipments going undetected.²

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In the post, [nftshowroom X alienarthive challenge for April: nftshowroom X alienarthive challenge for April: Flora & Fauna, NFTShowroom has featured all the month's flora and fauna themed Art minted so far on the NFT Showroom's home page / twitter. Also, Alien Art Hive will be curating participants' blog posts. This challenge was intended for the full month of April. Participants are required to:

• make art incorporating any flora and fauna theme;
• mint it on https://nftshowroom.com/;
• make a blog post about it in Alien Art Hive; and
• use #nftshowroom in your tags

Below are my steps taken to create my fifth design for this theme.

My Creation Process:

My inspiration in creating this "flora and fauna" scene was when I learned about the Pangolin's almost extinct circumstances. It truly resonated with me. Such unique animals to suffer the unbearable cruelty from human trafficking.

All images included in my design are listed below. I especially like the frosted trees.

^{Pangolin (Version 3) - StarryAI ~ Pangolin (Version 2) - StarryAI ~ Distorted Birds of Bosch ~ Female in brown spiked dress ~ Woman;s face with flowers on head ~ Abstract red and blue wavy pattern ~ Abstract gold geometrical shapes ~ Fantasy elephant turtle ~ Seagull flying ~ Pure fractal titled "Bird's Bowl" Pure Fractal titled "Brown Veil" ~ Wolley Thistle Flower - Contributed to the #LIL by @borgan}

Thanks for taking the time to view my post. I hope you like my fifth mixed media project for the April Flora and Fauna challenge.