Despite being well-known as the world’s most illegally trafficked wild mammal, there are still many mysteries about pangolins. One of these intriguing mysteries is how they mate. Pangolins are often nocturnal and rarely seen, making their mating habits difficult to observe.
There does not appear to be a consistent time when pangolins mate. Chinese and ground pangolins have been observed to mate during the summer and fall, while Sunda and ground pangolins have been observed to mate all year round. Males will follow females’ pheromones for long periods, sometimes hours.
If a female pangolin is willing, the male will try to mount her. However, the iconic scales of pangolins can make the process challenging; their armor against predators serves as a barrier when trying to mate. Pangolins will sometimes attempt to get things going for hours until they finally find an angle that works.
Pangolin pregnancies usually range between 80-180 days, culminating in the birth of one or two pups. The pups will ride on their mother’s back or tail. Young pangolins will usually nurse from their mothers for a few months until they are mature enough to begin their own solitary lives.
As conservationists continue to study and protect pangolins in the wild, more details about their mysterious mating behavior will be revealed.