The pangolin is like a walking armored potato covered in shiny, flaky scales that look like they came straight from a medieval fantasy novel. It’s a critter that curls up into a spiky ball when scared, resembling a maraca that forgot how to dance. With a long snout resembling a vacuum cleaner hose, it sniffs out ants and termites, which it slurps up with a tongue that can extend longer than its whole body. Imagine a tiny dinosaur that spends its days awkwardly trundling through the underbrush, trying not to trip over its own feet.