A man caught a "monster that looked like a snake but was not a snake" by the river. Others asked him to roast it and eat it... After sending it for identification, he was so scared that he broke into a cold sweat.

If you encounter an animal you have never seen before by chance in the wild, do not approach it easily, and of course do not kill it casually or take it home to enjoy. A man from Jiangxi Province in China accidentally caught an animal that looked like a snake but not a snake when he went fishing on the river. Someone suggested roasting the creature and eating it, but the man insisted not to do so. When he finally found out the true identity of the little creature, he broke out in a cold sweat.

According to Chinese media outlet Toutiao, this "monster" is covered in thick scales, has a chubby body, a slender tail, and a pointed mouth. After being fished ashore by the man, he was brought back to the village. However, none of the villagers had seen it, and some suggested roasting it and eating it. However, the man felt that he could not dispose of it casually before he understood the situation, so he took the small animal home to raise it.

Later, the man accidentally saw similar photos on the Internet and wondered whether the little animal was actually a pangolin, so he took it to the provincial capital for identification by animal experts. Fortunately, the man did not harm the small animal casually. After expert certification, it was indeed a type of pangolin. Its habitat is near the water. It is an endangered second-level protected animal in China. The man was shocked after hearing the appraisal results, and was glad that he didn't take other people's suggestions casually.

According to the introduction of the Taipei Municipal Zoo, pangolins are actually often hunted in Asia and become wild game in Chinese markets. There are only 8 species of pangolins in the world, among which the "Chinese pangolin" has been recognized as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Taiwan's endemic subspecies "Taiwan pangolin" is a branch of the Chinese pangolin, also known as "Taiwan scaled carp". It is listed as a rare and rare protected wild animal in conservation level II by the "Wildlife Conservation Act". Of course, if you encounter pangolins in Taiwan's mountainous areas, you must not hunt or sell them. The Animal Welfare Department also reminds the public to abide by the three principles of "no interference, no contact, and no feeding."