A Tough Exterior
As we’ve seen throughout this list, there are many Pokémon that are based on actual, well-known animal species. Some have been obvious, and some others have been surprising. Last but not least we have the Ground-type Pokémon Sandslash. This evolution of Sandshrew looks tough and mean, but it’s actually based on a very cute real-life animal.
Sandslash’s real-life doppelgänger is none other than the adorable pangolin. Much like Sandshrew, pangolins have a tough exterior and can roll into a ball to protect themselves. While they also have very long claws, pangolin’s are actually pretty slow and not vicious fighters. All eight species of pangolin are vulnerable or endangered.