ArmadilloInteresting facts and information

• Natural armour – Armadillos are the only living mammals protected by a shell of bony plates covered with tough scales.
• Rolling into a ball – Three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes) can enclose their bodies within their armour. Other armadillos mainly rely on digging or escaping.
• Holding their breath – Nine-banded armadillos can hold their breath for about 6 minutes, which lets them walk along the bottom of streams.
• Surprise jumps – When startled, a nine-banded armadillo can jump about 1 metre straight up into the air.
• Armadillos can catch leprosy – The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is one of the few animals besides humans that can carry the disease, and it has helped scientists study it.
• Identical young – Nine-banded armadillos typically produce four genetically identical young from a single fertilised egg.

• The largest armadillo – The giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) can weigh up to about 50 kg and be about 1.5 metres long, including the tail; its middle front claw is up to about 20 cm long.
• The smallest armadillo – The pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) is only about 10-12 cm long and weighs about 120 g.
• Super diggers – Giant armadillos dig large burrows that many other animals later use as shelters.
• Many babies from one egg – Some species of long-nosed armadillos give birth to litters of up to about 12 identical young.
• Delayed pregnancy – In the nine-banded armadillo, the fertilised egg can wait for months before it starts to develop, so the whole pregnancy can last up to about 8 months.

The armadillo is the only living mammal with a bony shell, which gives it remarkable protection from predators and thorny vegetation.

Key physical adaptations

• A banded shell – Made of bony plates covered with tough scales, joined by flexible bands of skin so the animal can bend.
• A compact, muscular body – Gives strength and stamina for digging.
• Strong claws – Adapted for digging quickly in soil and tearing open termite mounds.
• A long, sensitive nose – Helps them find insects and other prey underground.
• A long, sticky tongue – Helps armadillos, especially the giant armadillo, lick up ants and termites.
• Good hearing – Helps them detect predators and the movements of insects.
• Poor eyesight – They rely more on smell and hearing to find their way.

Differences between species

Most armadillos are solitary and active at night or at dusk, and they are famous for digging quickly to find food or escape danger.

Daily life

• Mostly nocturnal – Many armadillos rest in burrows during the day, avoiding the heat and predators, although some are active by day in cool weather.
• Solitary – They usually live alone, except during the breeding season and while mothers raise their young.
• Scent marking – They use scent glands to signal their presence.

Social interactions

• They rarely interact with other armadillos, except during the breeding season or when mothers are raising their young.
• Sounds and smells – They grunt while foraging, and some species, such as the screaming hairy armadillo, squeal loudly when handled.

Defence techniques

• Rolling into a ball (three-banded armadillos only) – Their armour closes like a box around them.
• Fast digging – In soft soil, an armadillo can dig itself into the ground in moments.
• Unexpected jumps – Nine-banded armadillos can jump about 1 metre into the air when startled, which can surprise a predator.

See also the list of all omnivorous animals.

Armadillos are adaptable animals that live in many environments, from rainforests to deserts and grasslands.

Regional distribution

Habitat types

• Rainforests – Large species, such as the giant armadillo, live where there are plenty of ants and termites.
• Savannas and grasslands – Many species dig their burrows in sandy soil.
• Deserts and dry areas – The screaming hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus) and the pink fairy armadillo live in dry, sandy regions of Argentina.
• Wetlands – Some species live near rivers and can swim well.

Climate and habitat change

• Deforestation reduces the giant armadillo's habitat and food.
• Roads are dangerous – Armadillos are often killed by cars in Latin America and the United States.
• Armadillo activity is affected by temperature. Some populations have expanded into areas farther north; this does not mean they hibernate.

Armadillos eat mainly insects and other invertebrates, but many also eat small animals, fruit and carrion. Thanks to their keen sense of smell and strong claws, they are excellent at finding food hidden underground.

What do armadillos eat?

Hunting and feeding methods

• Fast digging – Armadillos use their claws to dig insects and grubs out of the soil.
• Sniffing out prey – Their sensitive nose can smell insects several centimetres underground.
• A sticky tongue – Like anteaters, armadillos use their tongue to lick up ants and termites.
• Seasonal foods – Some species eat more fruit and plant parts when insects are scarce.

Find out more about the aardvark, another insect-eating digger.

Armadillos have some unusual ways of reproducing: in some species, the embryo's development can be delayed, and long-nosed armadillos give birth to identical siblings.

Mating season

• In tropical regions, many armadillos can breed at any time of year.
• In the United States, nine-banded armadillos mate in summer, usually in July and August.
• Males follow and sniff the females for some time before mating.

Pregnancy and birth

Raising the young

• The young are born with soft, leathery skin, which hardens into a shell over the following weeks.
• For the first weeks, they stay in the burrow, where their mother nurses and protects them.
• At a few months old, they start following their mother to look for food.
• At about 6-12 months, they become independent and leave to find their own home.

Survival

• Young armadillos face threats from predators and conditions in their habitat; survival varies by species and location.
• In the wild, armadillos often live 7-15 years, and in captivity they can live about 20 years.

Origin of the name

• "Armadillo" comes from Spanish and means "little armoured one", referring to its shell.
• In Brazil, armadillos are called tatu, a word from the Tupi language.
• In French, the armadillo is called tatou, and the Aztecs called it āyōtōchtli, "turtle-rabbit".

Taxonomic classification

Evolution and fossils

• Armadillos belong to an ancient South American mammal lineage, also represented by fossil relatives.
• Their extinct relatives include the glyptodonts, such as Glyptodon, giant armoured animals as big as a small car that lived until about 10,000 years ago.
• Fossils from South America show that armadillos and their relatives have survived many climate changes.

The armadillo is an important symbol in the Americas, linked with protection, survival and adaptability. It appears in Indigenous traditions, music and modern symbols.

• Music of the Andes – The charango, a small stringed instrument, was traditionally made with the shell of an armadillo.
• Texas – The nine-banded armadillo is the official state small mammal of Texas.
• The Aztecs – They called the armadillo "turtle-rabbit", because it seemed to combine features of both animals.

Armadillo symbolism

• Protection and self-defence – Because of its shell, the armadillo is a symbol of safety and protection.
• Patience and persistence – Its constant digging stands for hard work and determination.
• Independence and survival – As a solitary, tough animal, the armadillo represents resilience.

Most armadillo species are not threatened, but some are vulnerable because of hunting, habitat destruction and climate change.

Conservation status

Main pressures

1. Hunting – In parts of Latin America, armadillos are hunted for their meat and shells.
2. Habitat destruction – Deforestation and farming threaten giant and three-banded armadillos.
3. Road accidents – Armadillos are often hit by cars, especially in the USA and Brazil.
4. Climate change – Extreme temperatures can affect food and breeding.
5. Living near people – Near towns and farms, armadillos can be killed by domestic dogs and other introduced animals.

Protection measures

• Nature reserves – Brazil, Argentina and other countries protect areas where giant armadillos live.
• Education – Campaigns encourage local people not to hunt threatened armadillos.
• Population monitoring – Researchers use camera traps to study rare species, such as the giant armadillo.
• Legal protection – In several countries, threatened armadillos are protected by law.

The armadillo has become a popular symbol in books, music, games and sport, often shown as a tough, resourceful character.

Film and animation

• Rango (2011) – Roadkill, a wise armadillo, sends the hero on his journey through the desert.

Books and literature

• Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling, 1902) – In "The Beginning of the Armadilloes", a hedgehog and a tortoise learn each other's tricks and turn into the first armadillos.

Video games

• Sonic the Hedgehog series – Mighty the Armadillo is a strong, kind-hearted character in some Sonic games and comics.
• Red Dead Redemption – Armadillo is the name of a dusty frontier town in the games, where real armadillos also appear.

Mascots and symbols

• The 2014 FIFA World Cup – Fuleco, the official mascot of the tournament in Brazil, was a Brazilian three-banded armadillo, chosen to raise awareness of the threatened species.
• The charango – In the Andes, this small stringed instrument was traditionally made with an armadillo shell, although today most are made of wood.