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The Indian pangolin, thick-tailed pangolin, or scaly anteater (Manis crassicaudata) is a pangolin found on the Indian subcontinent. It is not common anywhere in its range. Like other pangolins, it has large, overlapping scales on its body which act as armour. It can also curl itself into a ball as self-defence against predators such as the tiger. The colour of its scales varies depending on the colour of the earth in its surroundings.
It is an insectivore, feeding on ants and termites, digging them out of mounds and logs using its long claws, which are as long as its fore limbs. It is nocturnal and rests in deep burrows during the day.
The Indian pangolin is threatened by hunting for its meat and for various body parts used in traditional medicine.
The Indian pangolin is a solitary, shy, slow-moving, nocturnal mammal. It is about 84–122 centimetres (33–48 in) long from head to tail, the tail usually being 33–47 cm long, and weighs 10–16 kg. Females are generally smaller than the males and have one pair of mammae. The pangolin possesses a cone-shaped head with small, dark eyes, and a long muzzle with a nose pad similar in color, or darker than, its pinkish-brown skin. It has powerful limbs, tipped with sharp, clawed digits. It is an almost exclusive insectivore and principally subsists on ants and termites, which it catches with a specially adapted long, sticky tongue.The pangolin has no teeth, but has strong stomach muscles to aid in digestion. The most noticeable characteristic of the pangolin is its massive, scaled armour, which covers its upper face and its whole body with the exception of the belly and the inside of the legs. These protective scales are rigid and made of keratin. It has 160–200 scales in total, about 40–46% of which are located on the tail. Scales can be 6.5–7 cm long, 8.5 cm wide, and weigh 7–10 grams. The skin and scales make up about one-fourth to one-third of the total body mass of this species.
The Indian pangolin has been recorded from various forest types, including Sri Lankan rainforest and plains to middle hill levels. The animal can be found in grasslands and secondary forests, and is well adapted to desert regions as it is believed to have a tolerance to dry areas, but prefers more barren, hilly regions. This pangolin species may also sometimes reach high elevations, and has been sighted in Sri Lanka at 1100 meters and in the Nilgiri mountains in India at 2300 meters. It prefers soft and semi-sandy soil conditions suitable for digging burrows.
Pangolin burrows fall into one of two categories: feeding and living burrows. Feeding burrows are smaller than living burrows (though their sizes vary depending on the abundance of prey) and are created more frequently during the spring, when there is a greater availability of prey. Living burrows are wider, deeper, and more circular, and are occupied for a longer time than feeding burrows, as they are mainly used to sleep and rest during the day. After a few months, the pangolin abandons the burrow and digs a new one close to a food source. However, it is not uncommon for the pangolin to shift back to an old burrow.
Unlike its African counterpart, the Indian pangolin does not climb trees, but it does value the presence of trees, herbs, and shrubs in its habitat because it is easier to dig burrows around them. Features that promote an abundance of ants and termites (grasses, bare grounds, bases of trees, shrubs, roots, leaf litter, fallen logs and elephant feces) are often present in pangolin habitats.
Few details are known about the breeding behaviour of the Indian pangolin. During the animal's mating period, females and males may share the same burrow and show some diurnal activities. Males have testes in a fold of the skin located in their groin areas. The female's embryo develops in one of the uterine horns. The gestation period lasts 65–70 days; the placenta is diffuse and not deciduate. Usually, a single young is born, but twins have been reported in this species. The young weigh 235–400 g at birth and measure roughly 30 cm. The newborn animals have open eyes, and soft scales with protruding hairs between them. The mother pangolin carries her young on her tail. When the mother and young are disturbed, the young pangolin is held against its mother's belly and protected by the mother's tail.
At sunset on the India/Pakistan border every evening they hold a ceremony where soldiers in ceremonial uniforms on each side face up to each other and march with very high kicks to great support from the locals. It's an incredible thing to see!
It's approaching nine o'clock as branch line service 04.55 Khushab-Malakwal Jn reaches destination headed by classic 4-4-0 loco SP/S 3172.
Oil-fired emissions of doubtful technique complete the scene adding a touch of urgency!
21st February 1990
Skardu, Pakistan.
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When I arrived in Kalam, which is 6800 meter above the sea level, it was about to rain,. Having that kind of altitude, raining can create a very chilly weather even in June. But for Pakistani people rainy season is considered as good season.
Kalam is situated in NWFP region, in the Swat Valley. A very beautiful place.
Pakistan is one of the friendliest countries I have ever experienced, although, due to the role of women, the encounters I had were only among other men. As there are so few foreigners there, people are extremely curious about we outlanders.
Pakistan is home to 108 peaks above 7,000 metres and 4555[1] above 6,000 m. There is no count of the peaks above 5,000 and 4,000 m. Five of the 14 highest independent peaks in the world (the eight-thousanders) are in Pakistan (four of which lie in the surroundings of Concordia; the confluence of Baltoro Glacier and Godwin Austen Glacier). Most of the highest peaks in Pakistan lie in the Karakoram mountain range (which lies almost entirely in the Gilgit–Baltistan region of Pakistan, and is considered to be a part of the greater Himalayan range) but some peaks above 7,000 m are included in the Himalayan and Hindu Kush ranges. Moreover, Pakistan is home to over 7,000 glaciers, more than anywhere except the polar regions.
Frere Hall is a building in Karachi, Pakistan that dates from the early British colonial era in Sindh. Completed in 1865, Frere Hall was originally intended to serve as Karachi's town hall, and now serves as an exhibition space and library
The legend of the lake is very interesting and romantic. A Prince, Saif ul Malook fell in love with a fairy princess, Badr-ul-Jamal, whom he saw in his dreams. The prince was restless until a Dervish (holy man) told him where to find her (i.e. by the lake) and that he had to go through a tough exam to be able to marry the fairy because the prince was a human and she was a fairy. Thus the prince marched on his quest for the impossible in the name of love. He waited by the lake where there was no habitation, (there still isn't), no food, nothing. His long wait of 12 years, finally reaped harvest and one good morning he saw the fairy come to bathe with her maids and friends in the lake. The prince hid her wings as advised by the holy man. The fairy was very tense at not finding her wings. Eventually the prince appeared and told her about his tale of love and long wait, which moved the fairy and they agreed to marry. But there is always a villain. So a Deuo Safaid (the white giant) who was himself in love with the fairy got jealous and furious. In rage the giant cried and thus tear lake (ansoo jheel, approx. 2 miles away ) was formed. The giant stepped angrily, the dam broke and the outlet to the lake Saif-ul-Mulook was formed. The prince and the fairy princess fled away in a cave (which still exists and its length is unknown to this day). The legend says that both the prince and the fairy live in the centre of the lake saifulmulook, and on every full moon night they emerge mounted on a white flying horse, the pagasus, from the centre of the lake. The depth of the lake has not been measured to this day,the last effort they say was made in late 90s but the measuring chain weighing 5 tons went down and vanished and the mystery of the lake dares us!
The Karakorams, the Himalayas and the Hindukush mountains can be approached from Abbottabad. The city continues to be a transit city for tourists, serving as a base for visits to numerous nearby places, such as Nathiagali, Naran, Chilas, Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu and Indus Kohistan, of the Karakoram Range.
Workers clean the ground at the Pakistan Monument in Islamabad, Pakistan October 26, 2018. Photo by Tim Chong
When Mr Jinnah left for Pakistan in August 1947, he first visited a Bombay cemetry where he was leaving behind a part of himself. As usual he was alone. The grave was that of Ruttie Jinnah, his wife who died in 1929 of an overdose of painkillers to fight cancer
The #PakistanMonument in Islamabad, Pakistan, is a #nationalmonument representing the nation's four provinces and three territories. The blooming flower shape of the monument represents Pakistan's progress as a rapidly developing country. The four main petals of the monument represent the four provinces (Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh), while the three smaller petals represent the three territories (Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas). The Monument has been designed to reflect the culture and civilization of the country and depicts the story of the Pakistan Movement, dedicated to those who sacrificed themselves for future generations.
From air the monument looks like a star (center) and a crescent moon (formed by walls forming the petals), these represent the star and crescent on Pakistan's flag.
The monument is located at the west viewpoint of the #Shakarparian Hills, and is spread over a total area of 2.8 hectares. The high location makes the monument visible from across the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The foundation stone was laid on 25 May 2004 and the complex was completed by the end of 2006 for inauguration on 23 March 2007. The total cost incurred was more than Rs.580 million.
The structure comprises four blossoming flower petals, built of granite, representing the unity of #Pakistani people. The inner walls of the petals are decorated with murals. The central platform is made in the shape of a five-pointed star which is surrounded by a water body. A metallic crescent surrounding the star is inscribed with sayings of #MuhammadAliJinnah and poetry of #AllamaIqbal.