The pangolin is known worldwide not only for being Prince William's favorite animal, but also as one of the most endangered species on the planet.
However, the creature is believed to play a role in the coronavirus pandemic.
The shy, large, small mammal is the most trafficked animal in the world, with at least 300 animals poached daily in habitats in Asia and Africa.
The Chinese believe that its scales - when ground into powder - can be used medicinally to treat a wide range of illnesses, from arthritis to cancer to asthma.
To feed the appetite of pangolin scales and meat, thousands of people are sold around the world beginning their journey to the Chinese markets for exotic animals.
One such market is the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic.
Samples of the virus show that it closely resembles strains of Sars that have been found to originate from bats.
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