Pangolin

A wonderful spot as we trundled over some rough roads deep in the miombo woodland of southern Tanzania. A ground pangolin was crossing the track and couldn’t disappear into the undergrowth fast enough. A magical encounter with a rarely seen species, albeit one well known because of its links to the illegal wildlife trade. The various African and Asian pangolin species are said to be the most trafficked animal in the world because of the use of their scales in traditional medicine. It’s a dubious distinction, and I hope this critter can survive until the end of its naturals in the scrub and bush undisturbed by people.