Pangolins are now critically endangered in Asia because of poachers and traffickers. But why is there so much demand for them?And why are they so important to their ecosystems?Pangolins don’t live in very cold climates. Four species live in Asia and the other four are in Africa.And while some pangolins grow up to 137 cm (4 ft) long, others are the size of a big housecat. They search for ants using their huge noses, and their tongues are even longer.The longest ones can reach out 40 cm (16 in). Each day, their tongues help them eat up to 20,000 ants. Talk about gourmet dining.Pangolins use their claws to look for food and burrow underground for shelter. They mix and aerate the soil, which improves its quality and makes it more nutritious.And excavating the soil is vital for the health of their ecosystems. You could think of pangolins as the gardeners of their habitats.And that’s not all. Because they eat so many insects, they’re amazing natural pest control agents. So you might be thinking, “Why are pangolins so sought after, and why do poachers hunt them?”Well, it comes down to their unique skin. Or scales, I should say.And unlike humans, cats or dogs, they are the only mammal that has them. Your hair and fingernails are made of keratin, just like a pangolin’s scales.But their scales are used in traditional Chinese medicine. And the demand for the scales doesn’t seem to be decreasing.The scales are usually dried and ground into a powder. The powder is also used in pills, which are sold in China’s traditional pharmacies. Pangolin scales have not been proven to treat anything. But people use the scales for many symptoms, including heart disease and arthritis.And just so we’re clear, it’s illegal to trade internationally in pangolins or their scales. But for poachers, the demand for pangolin scales and body parts outweighs the risks.But why does the pangolin have scales?Well, in 2016, a group of 32 scientists published an article in Genome Research journal suggesting that pangolins had developed scales to protect against infection and injuries.The scales also work as a great defense mechanism when they roll up into a ball. And that means they have very few predators in the wild.The only threat they seem to face is, unfortunately, us. They have protective scales all over their body. And they’re the gardeners of their habitat.That’s what pangolins do. And that’s what makes them Crazy Creatures.