Deep within the sprawling, golden-hued grasslands of Southern Africa, a creature of prehistoric design moves under the cover of absolute darkness. The ground pangolin, or Smutsia temminckii , remains one of the most enigmatic mammals on the planet. Often described as a living pinecone, this solitary insectivore has long evaded the prying eyes of researchers, largely due to its strictly nocturnal habits and its uncanny ability to vanish into the landscape. Recent technological advancements in bio-logging and high-resolution thermal imaging have finally allowed biologists to peel back the curtain on the secret lives of these elusive mammals. For decades, the pangolin was a ghost in the data, known only by its tracks and the occasional, fleeting encounter. Now, we are beginning to map the complex spatial requirements that allow these armored wanderers to survive in an increasingly fragmented wilderness. Mapping the Nocturnal Range New researc...