h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo45/WillemvdMerwe/Illustrations%20General/SleepingRhino1b.jpg

A white rhino ... sleeping. I hope I captured just how relaxed it is. In many places in Africa you'll see people guarding sleeping rhinos ... 24-hour anti-poacher escorts. What a difference, seeing a man with a gun standing by a great rhino lying on the ground ... and the rhino is only sleeping, and the man there to protect it!

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo45/WillemvdMerwe/Illustrations%20General/SucklingRhinob.jpg

A baby white rhino suckling from its mom!

http://i360.photobucket.com/albums/oo45/WillemvdMerwe/Illustrations%20General/Ietermagog1b.jpg

A pangolin! How many of you knew such things exist? It's a mammal, but covered in scales. No, it's not a primitive kind of mammal, it's very advanced actually. The scales are not exactly the kind of scales reptiles have, they are sort of an elaboration of the kind of scales found on the tails of some rodents. I don't think pangolins are very closely related to rodents, though, they're generally put in an order of their own. There are many fascinating facts about these weird beasties, I certainly plan to do a full article on them soon.

I knew about the Pangolin from my days with WWF and I seem to remember seeing it in one of the wildife programmes over here.

Lovely pictures.

Websailor

Hello Websailor, it's nice to see you here, thanks for the comment! I'm not surprised you know about pangolins. I am planning to cover them for Colours of Wildlife soon, they fascinate me no end! I haven't seen a living wild one yet.

I hope you do one day. No chance of me seeing one i think

Websailor

Gosh these are rarely seen in American zoos. Do they eat something very specific, Willem? They are really weird looking creatures, they sort of look like fantasy animals.

A pangolin!
Hmm I never heard of these, interesting mamal for sure!

We have armadillos down south in the state of Texas.
I think these are different, even though they are probably rodents also, and have hard scale like covering.

The tail looks very strong on the pangolin
Willem is it a weapon like a gator or crocks tail?

http://animal.discovery.com/mammals/armadillo/

Much more dainty in appearance.

Hello Elektra and Abbi, and thanks for commenting! Pangolins are indeed rare in zoos and yes, they have unique dietary needs. They eat ants and termites! Yes, they can use their tails for defense. When threatened they roll up into a scaly ball, and can use the tail with the sharp scales at the edge to slash at predators. They are not related to armadillos at all - apart from also being placental mammals. Armadillos belong to a group called Edentates, which includes the new-world Anteaters and the Sloths. Thanks for the pretty picture Abbi!

Off to look for anteater photos to compare

Yeah, well armadillos are a vector in the southern USA for bubonic plague so these should not be considered for road kill cuisine. They don't look too tasty even without that factor though.

great,
I will have to cancel dinner!