The Pangolin

What better way to start the New Year than by celebrating a long-snouted animal?

In this instance, it's one of my favourites: the pangolin. Here's a baby one looking especially cute.

The pangolin is also known as a 'scaly anteater' (for obvious reasons) and the fantastically named 'trenggiling' (for less obvious reasons). It's the only mammal with large keratin scales covering its skin. The name comes from the Malay word pengguling meaning something that rolls up.

I was going to post a picture of one rolled up, but the snout wasn't quite so obvious. So here's one which is balled up a little as it's taking a drink with the snout particularly extended.

So, let's have a bit of adoration for the pangolin. It looks fantastic, sounds fantastic, and - it's got to be said - just look at the size of that (dripping) snout!