Pangolins it is the strangest animal in Africa and Asia

Pangolins are truly bizarre creatures that look a bit like armoured anteaters. In fact, another name for them is ‘scaly anteaters’! Amazingly, though, they are much more closely related to dogs, cats and even seals that to anteaters or armadillos, the mammals they most resemble.

Despite their strange looks, we think pangolins are actually quite cute, with their beady eyes and big feet, and of course their habit of curling up into a ball when they’re threatened!

A good place to go to try to spot pangolins is sub-Saharan Africa, where three different subspecies may be spotted.

Sadly many species of pangolin have become critically endangered in Africa as well as Asia due to intensive illegal hunting and poaching for their meat and scales.