Naked mole-rat

The sand puppy is a hairless, tunnel-digging rodent that lives in parts of East Africa, including Somalia and Kenya. Unlike most mammals, it lives in big underground colonies like ants or bees do.

• Its scientific name, Heterocephalus glaber, means 'smooth different-headed one'.
• It's the only species in its genus, with no close relatives except blesmols.
• Spends its entire life underground in complex burrow systems.