Pangolins are solitary mammals and are mostly nocturnal – most pangolins live on the ground, but some, like the black-bellied and white-bellied pangolins, also climb trees. Interestingly, pangolins range quite drastically in size – from the size of a large housecat to over four feet long.
When pangolins feel threatened, they roll into a ball to protect themselves; on top of that, they can release a foul-smelling fluid from a gland at the base of their tails. Pangolins possess elongated snouts and remarkably long tongues that they employ to consume ants and termites. They excavate these insects from mounds using their robust front claws before lapping them up. They can close their noses and ears to keep ants out when eating.