The nocturnal mammal covered in overlapping keratin scales that can curl into a ball is the pangolin. Pangolins are insect-eating mammals in the order Pholidota, with eight living species native to parts of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
Their scales are made from keratin, the same tough protein found in human fingernails and claws. The scales overlap like protective plates and harden as the animal matures. When threatened, a pangolin curls tightly around its vulnerable underside, tucking its face beneath its tail and presenting an armored exterior.
Pangolins use strong claws to open ant nests and termite mounds, then capture insects with a long, sticky tongue. They have no teeth. Although their appearance can suggest an armadillo or anteater, pangolins are not close relatives of either; their similar traits evolved independently. Pangolins are also among the world’s most trafficked mammals, largely because of illegal demand for their meat and scales.