They protect every body part except the underside and inner surfaces of limbs. The scales are shed periodically and provide protection to all predators except the largest cats and hyenas. When confronted by danger pangolins roll up into a ball with the protective scales as a shield. The animal looks much like a huge dried pine cone with a head, legs, and tail. Pangolins specialize in eating ants and termites, same as their South American counterparts, the anteaters.
Pangolins also have a long, narrow tongue that they use to probe nests.
Viscous saliva is secreted onto the tongue by a large salivary gland that sits in a recess in the chest. In a specialized horny stomach. Pangolins have a small, conical head with a reduced or absent outer ear and an elongated body that tapers to a large tail. Thick eyelids prevent ant bites and special muscles keep nostrils closed while feeding. Limbs are short but strong and terminate in clawed digits.