Notes on Pangolins of the Ivory Coast

Abstract

During my three-year stay on the Ivory Coast I had an opportunity to collect material on pangolins inhabiting this region of West Africa. Since these animals are under severe protection I abstained from killing or capturing any, but confined myself to material obtainable from Europeans or natives. I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Gorse, Inspecteur des Eaux et Forets, and Dr. Vogeli-Zuber for their valuable help. Observations made on living specimens of Manis tricuspis and Manis longicaudatus have been published elsewhere (Rahm, 1955). Of four known African species of manids, three inhabit the Ivory Coast, West Africa: 1. 1. Giant pangolin: Mams ( Smutsia ) gigantea (Illiger). This animal measures approximately 150 cm., its tail is massive and broad, the forelimbs bear scales to the base of the claws. 2. 2. Tri-cusped pangolin: Manis (Phataginus) tricuspis (Raphinesque). The tail is only a little longer than the body. The scales are small, numerous, brown and often tri-cusped. 3. 3. Black-bellied pangolin: Manis (Uromanis) longicaudatus (Brisson). The tail is twice as long as the body. Scales are comparatively large, yellowish and brown coloured. Fig. 1 Places where pangolins were found on the Ivory Coast, Africa. Manis (Smutsia) gigantea (Illiger).—Neither living specimens nor whole skins of the giant pangolin were obtainable, the only evidences of this animal were scales and a rather large piece of skin. This may be due to the fact that the natives are very keen on the meat and roast the killed animals unskinned, possibly they remove the scales one by one. I have records from the following places: Man (frontier towards Liberia—Guinea), April, 1952. A reasonably large piece of skin in possession of a European. Yapo—North (50 km. north of Abidjan), March, 1953. A great number of dorsal and tail scales. The animal was killed in the tropical rain forest of Yapo towards …