Smutsia olteniensis

The **European ground pangolin** (*Smutsia olteniensis*) is a species of pangolin of the genus *Smutsia* (African ground pangolins) that originally lived in Romania during the Pleistocene and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced throughout the modern wetlands, forests, open woodlands, grasslands, and shrublands across mainland Europe to help boost biodiversity. European ground pangolin can grow to be 90 centimeters (3 feet) long exclusive of the tail and weigh around 27 kilograms (60 pounds). Like most pangolins, the European ground pangolins are almost completely covered in overlapping, protective scales, which makes up about 20% of their body weight. The scales are composed of keratin, the same material that forms human hair and fingernails, and give the pangolins an appearance similar to a pinecone or artichoke. The underside of a European ground pangolin is not covered with scales, but sparse fur, instead. When threatened, it usually rolls up into a ball, thus protecting its vulnerable belly. European ground pangolins walk on their hind legs, occasionally using their forelegs and their tail for balance. Their limbs are adapted for digging. They have five toes each with the fore feet having three long, curved claws, which are designed to demolish termite and ant nests and to dig burrows. Because of these claws, European ground pangolins must balance on the outer edges of their fore feet and tuck in the claws to prevent damage. European ground pangolins have long, broad tails and small, conical heads with jaws that lack teeth. To replace the act of chewing, the pangolin stomach is muscular, with keratinous spines that project into the interior and contains small stones to mash and grind prey, similarly to a bird's gizzard. European ground pangolins also have long, muscular tongues to reach and lap up ants and termites in cavities. Their tongues stretch so far, they are actually longer than their bodies. The tongue is attached in the lower cavity, near the pelvis and the last pair of ribs, and is able to retract and rest in the chest cavity. European ground pangolins have no external ears, so have poor hearing, as well as poor vision, although they do have a strong sense of smell. The European ground pangolin is wholly myrmecophagous, meaning that they only feed on ants and termites. European ground pangolins are solitary animals and only interact for mating. They dig and live in deep burrows made of semispherical chambers. These burrows are large enough for humans to crawl into and stand up. Although it is capable of digging its own burrow, the European ground pangolins prefer to occupy those abandoned by other animals or to lie in dense vegetation as well as in hollows and forks of trees and logs, making them even more difficult to observe. They are nocturnal animals. They mark their territory with urine, secretions, and by scattering their feces. When threatened, their defense mechanism is to curl into a ball with their scales outward, hiss and puff, and lash out with their sharp-edged tails. The scales on the tails are capable of a cutting action to inflict serious wounds. European ground pangolins are also capable of emitting noxious acid from glands near the anus, similar to a skunk, to ward off predators. The European ground pangolin's main predators are leopards, hyenas, and humans. European ground pangolins roll in herbivore dung. Young European ground pangolins ride on the base of their mothers' tails and slip under the mother when she curls up for protection. The conservation status of the European ground pangolin is **Near Threatened** due to some habitat loss and historic poaching, however, thanks to the conservationists, the European ground pangolins are a protected species.