Long-tailed Pangolin Phataginus tetradactyla

Long-tailed Pangolin Phataginus tetradactyla

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Location: Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Angola

Region: Moist lowland forests, swamps, and riverine environments across West and Central Africa, including the Congo Basin and Guinean forest ecosystems.

The long-tailed pangolin Phataginus tetradactyla, also known as the African black-bellied pangolin or ipi, is a unique diurnal, arboreal mammal cloaked in overlapping scales. They are currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to relentless exploitation for bushmeat and traditional medicine, alongside devastating deforestation in both West and Central Africa. Every year, millions of pangolins—this species included—are trafficked for meat and scales, driven by rising demand in both local and international markets. If we do not act now, this remarkable species may quietly vanish from the canopy. Use your voice and your wallet to fight for their survival. Every time you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife and be #Vegan #BoycottMeat

Appearance & Behaviour

Small and striking, long-tailed pangolins are the most arboreal and diurnal of all pangolin species. Their name stems from their extraordinarily long tail, which makes up nearly two-thirds of their body length, reaching up to 70 cm. This tail, with its 46–47 vertebrae, grants them exceptional agility in the treetops, where they navigate using prehensile grip and curved claws. Their belly and face are covered in soft, black fur, while the rest of their body is sheathed in brown, artichoke-shaped keratin scales.

Shy and solitary, these agile pangolins communicate through scent glands and rely on camouflage, curling into a tight defensive ball, and even secreting foul-smelling fluid to deter predators. These pangolins sleep curled up in tree hollows or epiphyte nests and have even been seen swimming—tumbling from branches into forest streams and paddling away with ease.

Threats

Illegal hunting for bushmeat and traditional medicine

This is the most immediate threat. Long-tailed pangolins are captured for their meat, which is considered a delicacy in many parts of West and Central Africa. Their body parts, including scales, are widely used in traditional medicine, with some 13–22 different uses documented across Ghana and Sierra Leone. Although this species is legally protected under CITES Appendix I and national laws in several countries, enforcement remains weak or inconsistent, and the black market trade continues to thrive (Boakye et al., 2014; Ingram et al., 2019).

Illegal capture and trafficking for body parts

Illegal wildlife trafficking has escalated alarmingly, with pangolins smuggled from Africa to Asia to meet demand for traditional Chinese medicine. Between 2015 and 2019 alone, over 400,000 African pangolins were seized en route to or within Asia. In Côte d’Ivoire, seizures of pangolin scales show that at least 11% originated from long-tailed pangolins, highlighting their growing role in illegal global trade networks (Challender et al., 2019; Heinrich et al., 2017).

Rampant deforestation due to palm oil plantations, mining, and logging

This is destroying the swamp forests and riverine habitats this species depends on. In Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, deforestation increased by 60% and 26% respectively from 2017 to 2018. West Africa now has some of the highest forest loss rates globally, primarily due to industrial agriculture for palm oil, tobacco, mining and human settlement expansion (World Resources Institute, 2019; Mayaux et al., 2013).

Habitat fragmentation for infrastructure projects and road construction

Deforestation gives poachers easier access to previously remote pangolin populations. Roadless areas are shrinking across the species’ range, particularly in West Africa, allowing the bushmeat and wildlife trade to penetrate deeper into intact forests (Ibisch et al., 2016).

Climate change and forest drying trends

Extreme weather induced by climate change in the Congo Basin are likely altering the composition and structure of key pangolin habitats. These changes may reduce the availability of arboreal ants—the pangolin’s primary food—and affect vegetation cover necessary for nesting and concealment (Zhou et al., 2014).

Misidentification in ‘wet’ markets

This complicates conservation. Long-tailed pangolins are often lumped together with white-bellied pangolins (Phataginus tricuspis) in wildlife trade surveys, leading to underrepresentation in policy responses and enforcement efforts (Akeredolu et al., 2018; Ingram et al., 2018).

Geographic Range

This species is found in fragmented populations across Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, and Uganda. Notably, there is a distributional gap between southwest Ghana and west Nigeria, where their presence is unconfirmed. Once widespread, their range is increasingly splintered by logging roads, agriculture, and human settlements.

Diet

Unlike other pangolins, long-tailed pangolins feed exclusively on ants, not termites. They use their powerful claws to rip open arboreal ant nests and their elongated, sticky tongues to slurp up their prey. Unable to chew, their food is ground in a gizzard-like stomach lined with keratin. This specialised diet highlights their ecological role in regulating ant populations in the forest canopy.

Mating and Reproduction

Long-tailed pangolins are thought to breed year-round. After a gestation period of approximately 140 days, females give birth to a single pup. The newborns are born with soft, pale scales that harden within days. Clinging to their mother’s tail for up to three months, the young are raised in the safety of the treetops until they reach sexual maturity at around two years of age.

FAQs

How many long-tailed pangolins are left in the wild?

There are no formal estimates of total population size, but this species is considered the least frequently encountered pangolin in Africa. Localised research in Côte d’Ivoire suggests densities as low as 0.015 individuals per hectare, indicating they may be rare even where they persist (M. Shirley & B.G.-M. Assovi, unpublished data). This rarity may be due to both genuine low densities and their reclusive, arboreal habits (Ingram et al., 2019).

How long do long-tailed pangolins live?

There is limited data on lifespan, but pangolins are believed to live up to 20 years in the wild. Most are unlikely to reach this age due to poaching, forest loss, and road mortality (Gaubert, 2011; Ingram et al., 2019).

What is being done to protect them?

Since 2017, all pangolins have been listed on CITES Appendix I, banning international trade. However, illegal trafficking remains rampant. In Cameroon and elsewhere, they are listed as fully protected under national law, yet enforcement is inconsistent. Indigenous communities, NGOs, and researchers are increasingly pushing for stronger protections, habitat preservation, and anti-poaching measures (Challender et al., 2019; Harvey-Carroll et al., 2022).

Do long-tailed pangolins make good pets?

Absolutely not. Long-tailed pangolins are wild animals with complex behaviours and specialised diets that cannot be replicated in captivity. Keeping them as pets is not only cruel—it is a direct contributor to their extinction. Every pangolin sold into the pet trade is one ripped from the wild, decimating populations and fuelling illegal networks. If you care about their survival, say no to exotic pets.

Why is palm oil a threat to pangolins?

Palm oil expansion drives the deforestation of African rainforests, especially in West Africa where forests are smaller and already fragmented. As trees fall for monocultures, the long-tailed pangolin loses the canopy it depends on for food, shelter, and breeding. The palm oil industry’s impact is compounded by logging roads that give poachers easier access to previously unreachable pangolin habitats (Mayaux et al., 2013; Ingram et al., 2018).

Take Action!

The long-tailed pangolin faces extinction if current exploitation and deforestation trends continue. Boycott products containing palm oil, which fuels rampant forest destruction in Africa. Support indigenous-led conservation projects that protect West and Central African rainforests. Demand stronger action against wildlife trafficking and reject the use of wild animals in traditional medicine. Fight against the demand for exotic meat and illegal pets. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat

Support Long-Tailed Pangolins by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

Ingram, D.J., Shirley, M.H., Pietersen, D., Godwill Ichu, I., Sodeinde, O., Moumbolou, C., Hoffmann, M., Gudehus, M. & Challender, D. 2019. Phataginus tetradactyla. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T12766A123586126. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T12766A123586126.en. Accessed on 06 April 2025.

Harvey-Carroll, J., et al. (2022). Continued availability and sale of pangolins in a major urban bushmeat market in Cameroon. African Journal of Ecology, 60(2), 146–152. https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.12969

Simo, F. T., Difouo, G. F., Kekeunou, S., Ichu, I. G., Ingram, D. J., & Olson, D. (2023). Pangolin hunting and trafficking in the forest–savannah transition area of Cameroon. Oryx, 57(6), 704–713. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605322001429

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Long-tailed pangolin. Wikipedia. Retrieved 6 April 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-tailed_pangolin

Yeo, D, et al. (2023). Uncovering the magnitude of African pangolin poaching with extensive nanopore DNA genotyping of seized scales. Conservation Biology, 37(6), e14162. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14162

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