\t\t\tHave you ever seen a pangolin feed? Pangolin.Africa gives us a fascinating glimpse ahead of World Pangolin Day.<\/p>\n
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South Africa (13 February 2026) \u2013 It\u2019s pangolin month! Leading up to World Pangolin Day on 21 February, wildlife organisations are taking the opportunity to shine a greater light on the world\u2019s most trafficked and most fascinating animals \u2013 the pangolin.<\/p>\n
There are eight known species<\/a> of pangolin on the planet. In Southern and Eastern Africa, the Temminck\u2019s pangolin, also known as the ground pangolin, is most common.<\/p>\n Many interesting facts surround the pangolin<\/a> \u2013 and perhaps we\u2019ll share more leading up to the 21st \u2013 but one of the most interesting is its remarkable tongue!<\/p>\n Most mammals have tongues that anchor near the back of the jaw or throat. Not pangolins. Their tongues can reach up to 40 centimetres \u2013 one of the longest tongues in the animal kingdom.<\/p>\n It attaches<\/a> all the way down near the pangolin\u2019s pelvis, which helps it feed on ants and termites in mounds. One pangolin can eat up to 5 million insects every year!<\/p>\n \u201cThey also supplement their diet with crickets, earthworms, flies, and even bee larvae.\u201d shares<\/a> Pangolin.Africa, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation of pangolin.<\/p>\n The NPO recently shared a rare glimpse at a pangolin feeding, and it\u2019s the most fascinating thing!<\/p>\n Its tongue darts around at lightning speed, capturing ants with a sticky saliva. Pangolins don\u2019t have teeth \u2013 instead, insects are swallowed whole and sent to the stomach where horn-like spines made of keratin, along with small stones which they swallow, grind up insects for digestion. When a pangolin is rested, its tongue sits in its chest and abdomen.<\/p>\n And the tongue is only the tip of the iceberg. Pangolins are endlessly fascinating and enigmatic!<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> for an entire calendar of exciting animal awareness days coming up in 2026.<\/p>\n Sources: Linked above. Or catch an episode of\u00a0Good Things with Brent Lindeque<\/a>\u00a0or our\u00a0Weekly Top 5<\/a>\u00a0below. The videos here are always changing, updated with the latest episodes from these two shows. Both are part of Good Things TV, created to bring South Africans balance at a time when the news can feel overwhelmingly negative. Our goal is simple: to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in our country \u2013 and to leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t
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