Where does this come from, and can I check it?

Overlapping keratin scales account for twenty percent of a pangolin weight. The figure is taken from Natural History Museum, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a animals fact?

Yes. It sits on the Animals shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Pangolins are the only mammals covered in keratin scales

Overlapping keratin scales account for twenty percent of a pangolin weight.

When threatened, a pangolin rolls into a tight ball, presenting a razor-sharp barrier of overlapping keratin scales that protects it against lions and leopards. These scales are composed of the same fibrous structural protein found in human fingernails and rhino horns.

Where this comes from

Natural History Museum

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Tags: pangolin, mammals, scales

Pangolins are the only mammals covered in keratin scales: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Overlapping keratin scales account for twenty percent of a pangolin weight. The figure is taken from Natural History Museum, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a animals fact?: Yes. It sits on the Animals shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.