This is a pangolin. For anyone who hasn't spotted the resemblance already, this is the creature that inspired the pokemon Sandslash. It is my favourite kind of creature. They are an ant eater species native to areas of Africa and Asia and are the only mammals that possess scales. These scales are the pangolins main defense, when threatened they will curl up into a ball and hope whatever is threatening them doesn't spot them or gets bored of failing to be able to penetrate their hides. They live solitary lives coming together only to mate. They will only have 1 to 3 babies which spend the first weeks of their lives clinging to their mothers tails until they learn to walk. This low birth rate is one of the main reasons why their populations are so critically endangered. The other reasons are their meat, which is considered a delicacy in countries like China and their scales which are used for all manner of pseudo-scientific or outright fictitious forms of medicine. Pangolins are the most trafficked animals in the world. This illegal trade is on a scale that few would believe possible. One incident involved 10,000kg of pangolin meat being smuggled from the Philippines to China which was only discovered because the vessel carrying it ran aground. Another incident in vietnam was the confiscation of 113 pangolins balled up and shoved into nets then crammed into the back of a pickup truck. In 2016 a man in Indonesia was found with 650 dead pangolins in freezers on his property. Pangolins are great and more people should know about them. The more people who know they exist the less likely it is they will vanish this world. A prospect that fills me with great sadness. Just look at that tiny pangolin. LOOK AT IT! Also, when they're still young they're able to walk around on their hind legs only which leaves them always looking like they're about to nervously ask you a question. D'aww