Facts about Armadillos

Armadillos are omnivorous animals, mostly found in South America and central parts of the United States. There are 20 different breeds of armadillos and each breed is named according to its physical characteristics. Some of the breeds include the nine-banded armadillo, giant armadillo, large hairy armadillo, three-banded armadillo, pink fairy armadillo, six-banded armadillo, northern naked-tailed armadillo and pichi or dwarf armadillo. The smallest armadillo is the pink fairy armadillo, which is 6 inches in height and the largest one is the giant armadillo which can be 1.5 meters (5 ft.) in height. The average life expectancy of an armadillo is 12-15 years.

Physical Characteristics of Armadillos
Armadillos are said to have evolved from huge, bony-shelled animals called glyptodon and panochthus. Comparatively, the present-day armadillo is a smaller creature, but it has retained the hard shell of its ancient counterparts. The name armadillo is a Spanish word which means "little armored one", because its shell looks like an armor, comprising many small bones.

Armadillos have short legs, but they can move pretty fast in times of danger. Their outer shell helps them move faster in dense forests, without getting hurt.

The armadillo is believed to have the ability to roll into a ball when it senses any kind of danger. However, only three-banded armadillos can do this because the others are inflexible due to their hard covering. The nine-banded armadillo can jump 4 feet up in the air, if it is startled.

Armadillos can hold their breath underwater for almost six minutes and can swim across ponds and rivers. In water, the weight of their shell can easily make them sink, but interestingly, they do not. They are able to float on water by filling their lungs and stomach with air, which makes them swell to double their original size.

Armadillos have poor vision, but they a strong sense of smell. This enables them to sense food and predators from a distance. They also have a long and sticky tongue to grasp insects.

Armadillos Habitat
Armadillos are found mostly in South and Central America. The nine-banded armadillo is the only one to be found in United States and is known as the state mammal of Texas.

Armadillos prefer a warm atmosphere, as they have a low body temperature and cannot survive in cold climates. They use their strong claws to dig burrows and to find their food. They prefer to live near moist regions like streams, rivers, creeks, ponds and reservoirs, because these places have a sandy soil that is easy to dig.

Armadillos tend to dig 10-15 burrows, which may be 20 inches to 20 feet deep, with a minimum of 4-5 entrances for emergency hiding. They are nocturnal animals that prefer to work late in the night, until wee hours and sleep the whole day.

Food of Armadillos
Armadillos do not have strong white enameled teeth like other mammals and this restricts their food to small insects like ants, grubs, small birds, eggs, earthworms, termites, mole crickets, frogs, beetles and larvae. They also like to eat the flesh from carcasses of dead animals and human beings. Due to this, they are known as 'grave diggers'. Armadillos also eat plants and some of them, like the giant armadillo can damage agricultural farms.

Gestation in Armadillos
The armadillo has the ability to delay its gestation period for some months, and can, if distressed, even delay giving birth up to almost two and half years. Even after fertilization of the egg, it can take several months for the implantation of the egg in the lining of the uterus. This mammal gives birth to four identical armadillo babies in one litter. The young ones are produced from a single fertilized egg and are do not have a specific sex/gender. Armadillo babies have a soft shell at the time of birth, which gets hardened when they become full-grown adults.

Armadillos - Endangered Species
Armadillo has become an endangered species, as it is losing its habitat due to human encroachment. This species is hunted for its flesh, as it is a delicacy in South America, Armadillos are also hunted for their skin, which is used to make leather accessories like bags and belts. Only the nine-banded armadillo breed is growing, while others like the giant armadillo and pink-fairy armadillo are fast becoming extinct.

Medical Research
Armadillos have been widely used in research for leprosy and also for cancer and HIV. Research on leprosy in armadillos has helped scientists find a vaccination against the disease.

The armadillo is an invaluable asset to the world. It is the duty of every human being to preserve and protect this precious wild animal from extinction.