Nature Diary
Pangolins
Covid-19 is a human disaster, but it may be the turning point for pangolins, which are the most heavily trafficked animals in the world.  It is thought that the SARS-Cov-2 virus that causes Covid-19 may have come from a recombination of bat and pangolin coronaviruses. This caused the Chinese government to ban use of pangolin scales in traditional medicines and has opened the way to conserve this very shy and endangered animal.
Pangolin is the only mammal on the planet with scales. It looks funny because it also walks on two legs with the support of its powerful prehensile tail. The key feature of pangolins are their scales. They form an armour that covers the top of the head, all the back and tail, but not the face, throat, belly and the inside of the legs. It serves as protection against its predators: when feeling threatened it rolls itself up and becomes an armoured ball. It has a narrow and sticky tongue which it inserts into anthills and feeds on ants and termites.
Very little is known about them; they are nocturnal, lonely and shy, and when disturbed become greatly stressed and usually die. They are much smaller than armadilloes, and usually reach only 1 meter in length and about 15 kg in weight. 
There are eight species of pangolin, with four each in Africa and Asia. All are at risk of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Two of the African species are considered vulnerable and two are endangered. Of the Asian species, one is endangered while the other three are critically endangered.