LONDON, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Conservationists from Britain's Chester Zoo have used cameras to reveal new insights into the secret lives of rare giant pangolins in Africa.
It is the first ever study into giant pangolins as part of the pioneering research project in Uganda by the zoo.
So far, 70 motion-sensor trail cameras installed by the zoo in Ziwa have captured hundreds of images and video clips of the little-known animals, including the first color footage of the species ever recorded in Uganda.
The giant pangolin, measuring up to 1.8 meters in length and weighing up to 34 kilograms, is by far the largest of the world's eight pangolin sub-species and is found only in the rainforests and grasslands of equatorial Africa.
Scientists say the new findings will help with the long-term protection and conservation of giant pangolins across Africa.
A spokesman at the zoo said: "Pangolins are the world's most trafficked mammal and are illegally hunted for their scales and meat. The next phase of research will see satellite devices fitted to giant pangolins to learn more about their behavior."
The research by Chester Zoo is part of an attempt to uncover vital new data on the elusive species and boost its chances of survival in Africa, added the spokesman.
The zoo team, in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the Rhino Fund Uganda (RFU), is aiming to uncover new information about the rare nocturnal animals in the first ever study of species in Uganda.
Pangolins, sometimes called scaly anteaters, are the only mammals in the world to be covered in hard overlapping and protective scales made of keratin, the same substance as human finger nails and rhino horn.
They live on a diet consisting entirely of ants and termites, which they lap up with their long sticky tongues, and are able to quickly roll themselves up into a tight ball when threatened.
Stuart Nixon, who heads Chester Zoo's Africa Field and Research Program, said: "The giant pangolin is a beautiful, mysterious and utterly fascinating species but studying them is extremely challenging. Being nocturnal, rare and very shy, it's only with new technologies such as high sensitivity trail cameras that we are able to learn more about how they live and interact with each other and their environment.
"Tragically we do know the giant pangolin faces a huge risk of going extinct across Central Africa. With no giant pangolins in zoos or safari parks anywhere in the world, all our conservation efforts must focus on saving them in the wild. The race is on against criminal networks that only value dead pangolins, to save this species and protect them well into the future."
Sam Mwandha, executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, said: "These rare glimpses into the lives of giant pangolins are very exciting for those of us dedicated to protecting Uganda's rich wildlife and challenges us to ensure that we protect and conserve this highly threatened species for future generations."
Pangolins are protected by international wildlife laws that ban their trade, but they remain the most illegally trafficked group of mammals in the world.
Their meat is considered a delicacy in many countries and their scales are widely used in traditional medicines despite there being no medical benefit from their use.
In Uganda, hunting or possession of protected wildlife species such as pangolins carries a punishment of five years imprisonment, while trafficking of pangolins or any other wildlife species carries a minimum prison sentence of seven years.
