Writer Sonya Joy witnessed two lions trying to break open the rock-hard scales of a pangolin during a tour of the Londolozi private reserve in South Africa. As they approached the lions, Joy, guide Tshepo Dzemba and forest ranger Mrisho Lugenge saw a lioness scratching and biting a pangolin.
Pangolins are about the size of domestic animals and have no weapons against large predators. When threatened, their self-defense tactic is to curl up tightly into a ball so that the hard scales cover their entire body and wait for the frustrated predator to give up. The lion’s teeth couldn’t find a hole to go through, Joy explained.
The stacked scales of a pangolin are made of keratin, a tough protein found in rhino horns and fingernails. This armor can withstand the strongest bites, turning pangolins into difficult prey. However, according to Safari Live guide Tristan Dicks, sometimes lions are lucky enough to break open the pangolin’s scales. Young pangolins have softer scales than adults, making them especially vulnerable to predators.
In this case, the lion’s efforts to feed seem futile. After trying to lick through the shell, the lioness asked her companion to help rhyme her prey to find an attack. Because it was dark, Joy and her group had to leave, so they weren’t sure if the pangolin would survive. The pair of lions ignore their prey, but they may return for a second attempt.