their young must follow behind their mothers until they grow large enough to do it for themselves. It eats the insects by picking them up with its sticky tongue, which is up to long. Reproduction Very little information about the reproduction of the giant pangolin is known. Two birth records exist, with one litter in September and another in October, with the young weighing around . As in all pangolins, infants have soft scales that eventually harden, and are born with open eyes. They cannot walk on their legs, but can move on their bellies. During age 6–8 weeks, the young often spew a yellow secretion from their anal glands (that is often said to smell of decay and cabbage) to keep predators and other animals from taking advantage of their mothers. Threats The giant pangolin is threatened by habitat destruction and deforestation, and hunting for the bushmeat trade. Between 2011 and 2015, nine shipments with pangolin body parts were seized in Asia that originated in Nigeria. They contained pangolin meat and close to pangolin scales that were destined to China and Laos. Conservation The giant pangolin has been listed on CITES Appendix I since January 2017. References External links giant pangolin Fauna of Central Africa Pangolin, Giant) Mammals of West Africa giant pangolin Species endangered by habitat loss Species endangered by deforestation Species endangered by human consumption Species endangered by human consumption for medicinal or magical purposes