earthling @appassionato@mastodon.social
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Ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii)

This armored mammal spends most of its time on the floor of its habitat, creating burrows beneath the surface to snooze in during the day. Under the cover of darkness, it emerges to forage for insects like ants and termites. It uses its long tongue to slurp up prey whole. When threatened, it can roll up into a ball, protecting its soft body from predators.


Its keratinized scales act as a built-in suit of armor. This species can be found in parts of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. Photo: David Brossard, CC BY-SA 2.0, flickr A photo of a ground pangolin. The animal has a small head and slightly elongated snout. Its body is covered in pinecone-like scales. It has clawed feet.
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