Where do armadillos live. Globular armadillo

Battleship is one of the most ancient representatives of the animal world. Zoologists consider it the most mysterious and incredible animal. Because of their large, thick shells, armadillos for a long time thought to be related to turtles. However, after a series of genetic studies, they were isolated in separate view and a detachment that bears resemblance to anteaters and sloths. In their historical homeland, in Latin America, animals are called "armadillo", which means pocket dinosaurs.

Origin of the species and description

Animals belong to chordate mammals. They are assigned to the armadillo squad. Scientists say that these animals appeared on earth during the existence of dinosaurs. This is approximately 50-55 million years ago. Armadillos have not changed much since those times, except for a significant decrease in size.

The ancient ancestors of this species reached a length of more than three meters. These representatives of flora and fauna managed to survive and preserve their original appearance due to the presence of a shell of dense bone plates, which reliably protected it from enemies and natural disasters.

Video: Battleship

The Aztecs, the ancient inhabitants of the American continents, called armadillos "hares-tortoises." This is due to the association with wild animals that had the same long ears like armadillos. Another similarity between armadillos and hares is the ability to live in dug holes.

Almost all the remains of the ancient ancestors of these animals were found in South America. This gives reason to believe that this territory was the homeland and habitat of the main number of species of these animals. Over time, when both American continents were connected by a land isthmus, they migrated to North America. This is evidenced by fossil remains of a slightly later period. The remains of glyptodonts, the most ancient ancestors of armadillos, have been discovered over a large area, up to Nebraska.

In the middle of the 19th century, most of the armadillos concentrated in the south of America and live there until today. At the beginning of the 20th century, several individuals escaped from private owners and in the natural environment established populations in the northern and western regions of America.

Appearance and features

The peculiarity of these unique animals lies in the shell. It consists of several sections that are connected to each other: head, shoulder and pelvic. The connection is provided by an elastic fabric. Thanks to this, all departments have sufficient mobility. Also on the body there are several annular stripes covering the back and sides. In connection with the presence of such stripes, one of the species is called nine belt. Outside, the shell is covered with strips, or squares of the epidermis.

The limbs of the beast are also protected by armor. The tail section is covered with plates of bone tissue. belly and inner surface limbs are rather soft and sensitive skin, covered with hard hair. The hairline can even cover the skin plates located on the surface of the shell.

Animals can have a very diverse color. From dark brown to light pink. The hairline can be dark, grayish, or completely white. The armadillo, despite its small size, has a squat, elongated and very heavy body. The body length of one adult varies from 20 to 100 cm. Body weight is 50-95 kilograms.

The length of the tail part of the body is 7-45 centimeters. The muzzle of armadillos is not too large relative to the body. It can be round, elongated, or triangular in shape. The eyes are small, covered with rough, thick skin folds of the eyelids.

The limbs of animals are short, but very strong. They are designed for digging large holes. The front paws can be either three-toed or five-toed. The fingers have long, sharp and curved claws. The hind legs of the animal are five-fingered. Used exclusively for movement through underground burrows.

Interesting fact. Armadillos are the only mammals that do not have a standard number of teeth. In different individuals, it can be from 27 to 90. Their number depends on gender, age, and species.

Teeth grow throughout life. In the oral cavity there is a long tongue covered with a viscous substance, which animals use to capture food. Armadillos have excellent hearing and sense of smell. The eyesight of these animals is poorly developed. They do not see color, they only distinguish silhouettes. Animals do not tolerate low temperatures, and their own body temperature depends on temperature. environment, and can range from 37 to 31 degrees.

Where does the armadillo live?

Geographical regions of the animal's habitat:

• Central America;
• South America;
• Eastern Mexico;
• Florida;
• Georgia;
• South Carolina;
• Trinidad Island;
• Tobago Island;
• Margarita Island;
• Island of Grenada;
• Argentina;
• Chile;
• Paraguay.

Armadillos choose a subtropical, hot, dry climate as their habitat. They can live in the territory of rare forests, grassy plains, valleys of water sources, as well as areas with low vegetation. They can also inhabit shrouds, rainforest areas, and deserts.

Different types of these representatives of the animal world choose their region and habitat conditions. For example, the furry armadillo is an inhabitant highlands. Can climb to a height of 2000-3500 meters above sea level.

Armadillos are not embarrassed by the close proximity of a person. Ball armadillos are distinguished by a complaisant manual character. Can get used to the constant neighborhood with a person. If he also feeds him and does not show aggression, then he is able to play with him. Animals have the ability to quickly settle down and get used to a new environment when changing their place of residence.

What does an armadillo eat

When living in vivo feeds on food of both animal and vegetable origin. The main source of food that armadillos most enjoy is ants and termites. Most species of armadillos are omnivores. The nine-banded armadillo is considered insectivorous.

What is included in the diet:

• Worms;
• Ants;
• Spiders;
• frogs;
• Termites;
• scorpions;
• Larvae.

They can feed on small invertebrates such as lizards. They also do not disdain carrion, food waste, vegetables, fruits. They eat bird eggs. As plant food, it can eat succulent leaves, as well as roots. various kinds plants. Often there are cases of attacks on snakes. They attack them by cutting the snake's body with the sharp tips of the scales.

Interesting fact. One adult is capable of eating up to 35,000 ants at a time.

To search for insects, animals use powerful paws with huge claws, with which they dig the ground and dig them out. When they want to eat, they move slowly with their muzzle down and turn over dry vegetation with their claws. Powerful, sharp claws allow you to disassemble dry trees, stumps and collect insects hiding there with a sticky tongue.

Interesting fact. Large, strong claws allow you to rake even asphalt.

Often, armadillos make their burrows near large anthills so that their favorite delicacy is always nearby. The nine-banded armadillo is one of those species that can even eat fire ants in large numbers. Animals are not afraid of their painful bites. They dig up anthills, eating ants and their larvae in huge quantities. In winter, with the onset of cold weather, when it is almost impossible to find insects, they switch to a plant-based diet.

Features of character and lifestyle

Animals tend to lead an active nocturnal lifestyle. Juveniles may also be active during daylight hours. With the onset of cold weather and a sharp reduction in the food supply, they can also leave their shelters during the day in search of food.

In most cases armadillos are solitary animals. In rare exceptions, they exist in pairs or as part of a small group. Most spend time in burrows located underground, come out after dark in search of food.

Each animal occupies a certain territory. Armadillos make several burrows within their range. Their number can be from 2 to 11-14. The length of each underground hole is one to three meters. In each hole, the animal spends from several days to a month in turn. Burrows are usually shallow, located horizontally on the surface of the earth. Each of them has one or two entrances. Very often, due to poor eyesight after hunting, animals cannot find the entrance to their house and make a new one. In the process of digging holes, animals protect their heads from sand. The hind limbs are not involved in burrowing.

Each animal leaves marks with a specific smell within its habitat. The secret is secreted by special glands, which are concentrated in various parts of the body. Armadillos are excellent swimmers. A large body weight and a heavy shell do not interfere during swimming, as animals inhale a large amount of air, which prevents them from sinking to the bottom.

Animals seem clumsy, clumsy and very slow. If they feel danger, they are able to instantly burrow into the ground. If the animal is frightened by something, it jumps very high up. If, when danger approaches, the armadillo does not have time to burrow into the ground, it clings to it, hiding its head, limbs and tail under its shell. This method of self-defense makes them inaccessible to attacks by predators. Also, if necessary, escape from the chase can develop a fairly high speed.

Social structure and reproduction

Period marital relations is seasonal, mostly summer period. Males take care of females for quite a long time. After mating, pregnancy occurs, which lasts 60-70 days.

Interesting fact. After the formation of the embryo in females, its development is delayed. The duration of such a delay ranges from several months to one and a half to two years.

Such a process is necessary in order for the offspring to appear during the period of the most favorable climatic conditions, which will increase the chances of survival of the cubs.

Depending on the species, one sexually mature female can give birth to from one to four to five cubs. The birth of offspring occurs no more than once a year. At the same time, a third of sexually mature females do not participate in reproduction and do not give offspring. Babies are born quite small. Each of them sees at birth and has a soft, non-keratinized shell. It is completely ossified by about six to seven months.

Interesting fact. Certain animal species, including nine-banded armadillos, are capable of producing identical twins. Regardless of the number of cubs born into the world, they will all be either females or males and develop from a single egg.

A few hours after birth, they begin to walk. For one to one and a half months, the cubs feed on mother's milk. After a month, they gradually leave the burrow and join the adult food. The period of puberty for both males and females occurs upon reaching one and a half to two years.

In some cases, when the female does not have milk, and there is nothing to feed the cubs in a state of panic, she can eat her own. The average life expectancy in natural conditions is 7-13 years, in captivity it increases to 20 years.

Natural enemies of armadillos

Despite the fact that nature has awarded armadillos with reliable protection, they can become prey for larger and strong predators. These include representatives of the family predators and canines. Armadillos can also be hunted by alligators,.

Armadillos are not afraid of being close to humans. Therefore, they are often the object of hunting for domestic cats and dogs. Humans are also the cause of the extermination of animals. He is killed in order to obtain meat and other parts of the body, from which souvenirs and jewelry are made.

The cause of human extermination is harm to livestock. Pastures pitted with burrows of armadillos are the cause of fractures of the limbs of livestock. This forces farmers to exterminate the animals. A large number of animals die under the wheels of vehicles on the highway.

Population and species status

To date, four out of six existing species armadillos are listed in the International Red Book. Zoologists say that one of the species, the three-banded armadillo, may have already been completely exterminated. This is due to the low birth rate. A third of sexually mature females do not participate in reproduction. Some types of armadillos are capable of reproducing up to ten cubs. However, only a fraction of them survive.

For quite a long period of time, the Americans destroyed armadillos because of the tender, tasty meat. Today, in North America, their meat is still considered a great delicacy. In the 20-30s of the 20th century, they called them lambs and made meat stocks, destroying the animals. A self-defense tool in the form of a shell makes them easy prey for humans, since they do not run away, but rather simply curl up. One of the reasons for the extinction of the species is considered to be the destruction natural environment habitats and deforestation.

Armadillo Guard

In order to preserve the species and increase their numbers, four of the six existing species of animals are listed in the international Red Book with the status of "endangered species". In the habitats of armadillos, their destruction is prohibited, and deforestation is also limited.

Battleship is an amazing animal that got its name in honor of the Spanish military, who were dressed in steel armor. They have the unique ability to walk underwater and hold their breath for more than seven minutes. Until now, the lifestyle and behavior of animals have not been thoroughly studied by zoologists.

Do you recognize the animal? No, this is not an artificial ball, not a coconut, and not even a prop for any movie. This is quite a modern animal.

Armadillos, or as they are called in Latin America, armadillos, are also called "pocket dinosaurs". This figurative expression is justified not only by their appearance, but also by the fact that armadillos are indeed very ancient animals. They appeared on Earth about 55 million years ago, and the same "armor" helped them survive, from which their name came - the shell that covers the skin of these animals. Translated from Spanish, "armadillo" means "carrying armor."

The family of armadillos belongs to the order of edentulous. Its representatives have teeth devoid of enamel and roots, incisors and fangs are absent (with the exception of some species of sloths). The structure of the teeth unites these animals into one squad.

Panochthus frenzelianus

In ancient times, there were much more edentulous than today. Some of them, such as giant sloths, or megateria, reached the size of an elephant. Mylodons were the size of a bull, and the giant armadillos were the size of a rhinoceros. All of them, like today's species, fed on foliage, bending trees to the ground. According to some reports, the ancient inhabitants of South America kept giant sloths in special pens as meat animals. Now only three families remain in the detachment: in addition to armadillos, it includes sloths and anteaters.

In most armadillos, the shell consists of separate hoop-shaped strips encircling the body from above and from the sides. In addition, the top of the head is covered with a layer of bone and keratinized plates, like a “cap”; and the whole tail is in conical shields. The stripes on the body are interconnected by a soft stretchable fabric, which allows the animals to curl up into a tight ball in case of danger, protecting their bare abdomen covered with sparse bristly hair. Sometimes the stripes grow together in the anterior and posterior parts of the body, leaving several moving strips in the middle part: according to the number of such moving strips, armadillos are called “six-banded”, “nine-banded” in bristly armadillos there are 18 such strips-belts.

Now there are about twenty types of armadillos. These animals live in the New World, mainly in South America, and only one species is found in the south of North America. In the villages of Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Bolivia, one can see the following picture: children play football with a large and heavy ball. When the game ends, the ball suddenly turns around and minces away on short legs. This living toy is an armadillo.

The largest armadillo is gigantic, its length reaches one and a half meters or more, and its weight is sixty kilograms. It is also called "giant tattoo". He has huge powerful claws - few of the other animals have such: the length of the largest claw on the third toe of the front paw reaches 203 millimeters! With these claws, the tattoo giant easily breaks open and breaks termite mounds that are hard as stone, and tears apart tree trunks. In the mouth of a giant armadillo great amount teeth: from sixty-five to a hundred, among animals only dolphins have more. It is not easy for a giant to see a tattoo - he is very careful, he gets out of his underground shelter only at night.

The diet of these amazing animals is based on insects - termites and ants. In order to make it more convenient for armadillos to get their own food, nature provided them with an elongated muzzle, a sticky long tongue and paws adapted for active digging. Representatives of many species do not hesitate to diversify the menu with other types of insects, larvae, and sometimes carrion. There are no predatory instincts in these animals, and even with all the desire to catch game, being shackled in Knight armour- an unpromising occupation.

But predators - cougars, coyotes, wolves - are happy to consider armadillos as an object of hunting, and to save their lives, carriers of armor have to use a lot of cunning tricks.

Other specimens that do not have this ability try to snuggle as close as possible to the ground to protect the soft belly and burrow into the soil. Rumor claims that even asphalt is not an obstacle for the claws of armadillos - sensing danger, they immediately scatter asphalt crumbs to the sides and burrow into a layer of gravel.

Another move taken by armadillos in moments of danger is to sharply straighten all four limbs and soar upward with a torpedo, suddenly jumping up and just as suddenly falling on a discouraged enemy. But the most great luck- if the armadillo burrow is nearby. Then he forgets about all the tricks and rushes headlong to the most reliable shelter. On its territory, it is invulnerable even to a super strong enemy who managed to grab the victim by the tail: the beast rests against the walls of the hole with all paws and the edges of the shell so tightly that it cannot be removed from there without a shovel.

There are not so many of these wonderful animals left in South America: some locals they believe in the magical power of the armadillo and try to kill him in order to make amulets out of the bones.

The tiniest armadillo is the small mole, or pink, pichisiego. Its length is 15 centimeters, weight - 90 grams, this animal easily fits in the palm of your hand. It lives in dry, overgrown with cacti and thorny bushes plains of western Argentina. Pichisiego, like a mole, almost never appears from the dungeons to the surface. He has a thin pinkish shell, which grows to the body not along the entire back, but only in a narrow strip along the ridge. The sides and belly are not protected by armor, but behind the pichisiye it is securely covered with a special shield. Climbing into a hole, he plugs the entrance with it, so that it turns out a real armored door. Like other armadillos, pichisiego, escaping from pursuit, quickly burrows into the sand.

The armor of an armadillo resembles armor covering the back, sides, paws, head in front and tail on top, and only sparse coarse hair grows on the stomach. Armadillos are born with soft horn armor, but after a few weeks it hardens and forms a turtle-like shell.

It is curious that the body temperature of these animals varies greatly depending on the ambient temperature. Usually, armadillos are nocturnal: during the day they doze in their burrows, and at dusk they get to the surface and tear apart anthills, collecting ants with a sticky tongue. They eat armadillos and other insects, as well as snails, worms, snakes, berries and roots.

Nine-banded armadillos, or tattoos, are of great interest to academic topics that they are always born as same-sex twins, and their number is usually four, rarely eight, but it happens that twelve. This rare property gives geneticists and psychologists the opportunity to observe the development of identical armadillo twins in different conditions to understand how the same set of genes - innate properties - determines the behavior and character of a living being.

The nine-band tattoo was named for the nine transverse rings of armor, which are located between the chest and sacral shields. The shell of a tattoo, like that of other soft armadillos, is light, thin, and easily bent. Nevertheless, contrary to the legends, the nine-banded armadillo is not at all capable of defending itself from pursuers, curling up like a hedgehog into a ball, thus hiding its easily injured belly. Only two types of armadillos can fold - Laplatsky and Brazilian.

Tattoos are vulnerable to teeth large predators. In Mexico, Indians hunt armadillos with the help of specially trained dogs. The animal is not able to run away from a person, and even more so from a dog on open space. But as soon as the armadillo reaches the thorny thickets, its pursuit becomes useless: protected by a shell from thorns and sharp grass, the armadillo easily and quickly makes its way through any of the thickest bushes.

Mexicans count meat armadillo, similar in taste to pork, a great delicacy. Even in ancient times, the Aztecs exchanged armadillos in the bazaars for cocoa beans.

Armadillos bring significant benefits, destroying harmful insects; they spend hours digging in the ground, looking for beetles and various larvae. By the way, the tattoo has an excellent sense of smell: for example, he smells a worm twenty centimeters underground. Some armadillos are even specially tamed and kept on farms as exterminators of harmful insects. True, Mexican farmers complain that cattle sometimes cripple their legs, falling into holes dug by armadillos, and that they sometimes spoil crops, even destroy entire groves. But in general, these clumsy animals evoke the sympathy of people.

In captivity, armadillos breed poorly and rarely reach maximum age, in natural conditions live up to ten years. Relatively recently, scientists have found that these animals are susceptible to some diseases that are common among people. The most serious of these is leprosy. Physicians finally have the opportunity to carefully study the terrible and ancient disease that people still suffer from and learn how to treat it more successfully.

Armadillos are excellent swimmers. When it is necessary to cross a small river or stream, animals swallow more air, inflate their belly, and then even a heavy shell does not prevent them from swimming. In addition, armadillos can hold their breath for quite a long time - for six minutes. Therefore, sometimes they simply cross small rivers along the bottom. The ability to hold their breath helps these animals escape from enemies - they go into the water, lie down at the bottom of the reservoir or walk along the bottom and get ashore far from their pursuers.

The body of an armadillo is perfectly adapted for digging, and this is no coincidence: after all, rummaging in the ground, he gets his own food, and burrowing into the soil with lightning speed, he escapes from his pursuers. The armadillo has short strong legs with long claws, powerful muscles of the shoulder girdle, wide ribs, and a lot of blood vessels on the legs, which quickly saturate the muscles with oxygen in moments of intense digging. All this helps him to dig the earth with amazing speed. There is a known case when an armadillo, desperately working with its paws, broke through the asphalt on the road in a minute and went underground. Moreover, quickly tearing the ground, armadillos do not breathe for several minutes, so as not to suffocate in the dust that they raise during work.

Scientists have kept armadillos at home more than once. They are easily tamed, but at night they behave like real robbers - they turn over chairs, break everything that is tucked "under the paw".

In dangerous situations, the female can artificially delay childbirth for two years. There are from 1 to 12 heirs in a litter, and in pairs nine-banded armadillos several same-sex twins are born at a time. The cubs are born sighted, the very next day they are able to move independently, but for several months they still remain in the bosom of the family, under the reliable supervision of their parents.

It was important for scientists to learn how to raise newborn armadillos in captivity in order to be able to observe the development of twins. It turned out to be difficult. The female armadillo was brought to the lab just before her babies were to be born. The cubs were born safely, but then for some reason the mother sometimes ate them, and sometimes did not want to feed them. The cubs had to be separated from their mothers.

They were placed in plastic boxes, wrapped in diapers, laid on special warming bedding. During the day, zoologists fed the babies in the laboratory, and took them home at night. Every two hours they got up at the wake of the alarm to feed the cubs. Babies could not learn to suck and swallow in any way, so it was not possible to feed them from a pacifier or pipette. I had to use a special tube for feeding, which was inserted into the tiny ventricles of small armadillos. When at least three of the four twins survive, they are still of scientific interest to researchers, if only two of the four "twins" remain, their value from a scientific point of view significantly less. If only one of the four armadillos born together remains alive, he turns into just a funny and cute pet, but ceases to be an object of study for doctors. Recently, scientists still found a way to nurse twins.

Although armadillos are relatively easy to keep in captivity, there are real danger the fact that a number of armadillo species will disappear from the face of the Earth before science has time to collect important information about them. For example, scientists know almost nothing about the way of life of a rare animal - the mole armadillo, or the Pichis Burmeister, although it was discovered more than a hundred years ago. Armadillos are persecuted for spoiling crops - in some countries there are even bonuses for their capture. This is first. Secondly, armadillo meat is eaten, and souvenirs and musical instruments. Many species of armadillos are now under the threat of extinction - a person is stepping on nature too quickly.

On the freeways, you can often see armadillos shot down at night by cars and trucks. Moreover, animals do not die under the wheels of cars. The jump reflex kills them. Frightened by the roar of a car passing over it, the armadillo jumps high almost vertically and hits the chassis of a moving car.

A lot of armadillos die under the wheels of cars, some of these animals become an object of hunting because of the taste of their meat, some are destroyed by cattle breeders whose cattle break their legs on their holes, a certain number were exterminated as laboratory animals. Is it any wonder that the armored beast is becoming rarer? You look, another hundred years, and the planet will forever lose another unique inhabitant of it.

Nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)- a small mammal, a member of the armadillo family (Dasypodidae), native to North, Central and South America.

Description

The armor consists of nine movable bone plates covered with keratinized skin (scales). This scale (osteoderm) provides a tough but flexible covering. Armor makes up about 16% of body weight and is divided into three main areas: pelvic, shoulder, and dorsal. The number of visible bands can vary from 8 to 11. Each band is separated by a thin epidermal layer and hairs. Osteoderm is constantly growing and wearing out, but never completely disappears. The average body length is 0.75 m. The average length of the tail is about 0.3 m, it is covered with 12 - 15 rings of scales (osteoderms).

The head is partially covered with keratinized scales, with the exception of the ears. They are protected by rough and bumpy skin. The soles also lack any signs of armor. The elongated muzzle has a pink tint and is shaped like a pig. The face, neck and belly are covered with a small amount of wool. Nine-banded armadillos have short paws: 4 fingers on the front and 5 on the back.

The total number of teeth ranges from 28 to 32. They are ordinary, small in size and cylindrical in shape. Teeth grow throughout the life of an armadillo. These mammals have long, sticky tongues that they use to catch insects.

The weight of males is 5.5 - 7.7 kg, and females - from 3.6 to 6.0 kg. The body temperature is low, within 30°-35°C. Given their mass, armadillos have a low basal metabolic rate of 384.4 kJ/day.

area

Nine-banded armadillos are found in South, Central, and North America, and have the largest range of living species in the armadillo family, from Argentina and Uruguay, through Central America, and into the southern United States.

Habitat

Nine-banded armadillos most often live in forest and shrub regions of tropical and temperate zones. Also found in grasslands and savannas around wooded areas. Armadillos prefer forests over grasslands as they forage in the forest floor. Mammals are not often found in arid regions; they choose coastal areas or areas with sufficient water, or minimum rainfall of 38 cm per year. They have also been found near wetlands, but they are not common.

Temperature is an important condition when choosing a habitat. Armadillos do not thrive in temperatures below 22°C, but warm burrows allow the animals to inhabit temperate areas.

The armadillo's habitat is not limited by the presence of humans, and they do not often inhabit areas with dense human populations.

In forests, meadows and bushes, armadillos live in underground burrows. They vary in size but can be up to 5 meters wide and 2 meters deep. Armadillos bring some herbs and leaves into their burrows, and often hide the entrance with plants. Females and males may be in the same burrow during the breeding season, but as a rule, burrows are only shared between a female with cubs or young siblings.

reproduction

Armadillos have been observed mating during the summer season. As a rule, they are solitary animals, so the closeness of the female and male is an unusual phenomenon. It is believed that the male maintains this closeness to the female in order to lay claim to her and protect her from other males. In some cases, males fight for one female. It is likely that maintaining closeness allows the male to determine when the female is receptive to mating. Discharge from the anal glands may have a different odor during estrus.

Females have a large external clitoris, while males lack an external scrotum and testicles are internal. Most females go into heat once a year, usually in early summer. During conception, only one egg is fertilized. Blastocysts remain in the uterus for approximately 14 weeks before implantation. That is, when the blastocyst finally attaches to the uterine wall, it divides into 4 identical embryos. Each embryo develops in its own amniotic cavity. This embryonic process almost always results in the birth of four identical quadruplets.

Cubs are often born in early spring, after 4 months of pregnancy. Delayed implantation allows offspring to appear in the spring when it is warm and food is plentiful.

At birth, armadillos strongly resemble their parents, only smaller. The eyes open quickly, but their armor hardens only after a few weeks. Full development and sexual maturity is reached at the age of 3 or 4 years.

Lifespan

The life expectancy of armadillos ranges from 7 - 8 years to 20 or more. At least one nine-banded armadillo has reached the age of 23 in captivity. The young have more high level mortality than adults.

Factors affecting lifespan include: climatic conditions, predation, and disease. Since this species does not have a significant amount of wool or blubber, it does not handle cold temperatures very well. A large adult male can survive no more than 10 days at 0 ° C. The larger the animal, the more likely it is able to survive at low temperatures. Other environmental conditions such as drought also affect the mortality of these mammals.

Predation and killing by humans, both targeted and accidental, are significant causes of mortality. Cubs are more likely to die from predators in wild nature than adults due to their weaker physical condition and softer armor.

Diseases may be an important factor contributing to the mortality of armadillos. In one population, 30% of the adult population was found to have associated diseases, while 17% had antibodies, indicating a previous infection.

Food

Over ninety percent of their diet (by volume) consists of animals. Adult beetles and larvae form the bulk of the diet, but armadillos also feed on termites, bats, ants, grasshoppers, earthworms, and several other insects and terrestrial invertebrates.

Armadillos also feed on small reptiles and amphibians, especially in winter time when these animals are more lethargic. They sometimes eat mammalian babies or bird eggs. Less than ten percent of their diet consists of plant matter such as fruits, seeds, and mushrooms. Earth, twigs, tree bark, and other indigestible foods were found in their stomachs, but the ingestion of such substances was probably accidental. Armadillos occasionally eat carrion, but are more interested in the larvae that inhabit the corpses than in the meat itself.

Animals rely primarily on their sense of smell to find their food source and often visit shallow burrows in search of .

Behavior

Nine-banded armadillos are nocturnal or crepuscular animals. They do not hibernate, but in the northern part of their distribution, armadillos are more mobile during the summer.

They dig holes with their noses and limbs. Armadillos may have several burrows, including one for nesting and several smaller ones as food traps. These mammals use natural above-ground crevices as nests. Other than mating pairs or rearing offspring, armadillos generally do not share burrows. However, several adults have been recorded in cold weather.

Armadillos are rarely aggressive towards each other, although a pregnant or lactating mother can be quite hostile towards older offspring. During the mating season, older males sometimes display aggressive behavior towards younger ones. A frightened armadillo usually looks for a hole, and when it gets inside, it arches its back and spreads its paws so that it is difficult to reach it.

Economic value to humans: Positive

Armadillos, including nine-banded armadillos, play an important role in medical research because they harbor a number of protozoa, bacteria, and fungi that are responsible for human disease. They are important predators of various agricultural pests. In addition, they are caught for their meat and armor, which is used to make various trinkets.

Economic value to humans: Negative

Despite catching agricultural pests, armadillos can cause damage to farmers. They feed on several crops including peanuts, corn, and melons. Their burrows pose a threat to farm animals that may accidentally fall into them. In addition, burrows can weaken roadsides and dams. Armadillos are also carriers of various diseases.

conservation status

The population of nine-banded armadillos is of the least concern and is growing steadily. It's connected with high speed reproduction and range expansion.

Video

The armadillo is considered one of the most ancient animals on Earth. He lived back in those days when the planet was inhabited by dinosaurs. The very first armadillos appeared about 55 million years ago. They managed to survive mainly thanks to their armored protection.

What does a giant armadillo look like?

The giant armadillo is the largest member of its family. The length of his body is 75-100 centimeters, and he weighs more than 30 kilograms. In captivity, often the weight of this animal often reaches 60 kilograms and even 80.

This unusual creature is fully armored. It is no coincidence that the name of this animal with Spanish translated as "one who always wears armor." Armadillos are born with a softer body covering. As it grows older, it hardens, and turns into real "knight's armor". The dense shell does not hinder the movement of the animal. It consists of many horny plates interconnected by an elastic tissue. It is thanks to this plastic connection of the shields that the protective armor has some mobility. It is colored dark brown, but slightly uneven, since the belly of giant armadillos is always lighter than the back.

The muzzle of the animal is shaped like a tube. His legs are short, but very strong and powerful. They have claws of very impressive size. The main adaptation for obtaining food is a long and sticky tongue. It is with them that the armadillo catches insects.

Where does the giant armadillo live?

Armadillos are residents of South and Central America. In total there are 21 species of these animals. The giant armadillo can only be found in South America. At home, it is often called the "pocket dinosaur" or "Amadillo". Despite the fact that armadillos prefer to live in open areas, mainly in savannahs, this species lives in forests. Moreover, the animals live alone. In pairs, they stray only during the mating season.

Animals make their homes on river banks or near small streams. With their strong claws, they dig holes for themselves, and then cover them with dry grass and leaves. These creatures are incredibly clean, so they regularly change the bedding.

Why does a giant armadillo need a shell?

It was thanks to their armored protection that the animals managed to survive, and not disappear from the face of the earth, like dinosaurs. The shell remarkably protects the beast from alien claws, fangs and horns. In case of even the slightest danger, he burrows into the ground, leaving only his back, protected by armor, on its surface. The predators are not able to bite through it or scratch it. Also, the pocket dinosaur is able to curl up into a ball, just like a hedgehog. Not a single enemy is able to deploy it, and the shell can withstand any, even the most powerful attacks.

What does the giant armadillo eat?

This armored creature feeds on insects: worms, ants, termites. Sometimes the beast eats mushrooms and tree roots. It obtains food with its keen sense of smell. The armadillo can feel the location of even those insects that are buried in the ground. With his large strong claws, he tears it apart to get to the prey. The animal picks up victims, throwing out a long sticky tongue.

The giant armadillo is the absolute champion in size and claw strength. In this he was able to surpass even lions and tigers. This mini-dinosaur also leads in terms of the number of teeth. He has less than a hundred of them. This is far more than any other mammal in the world.

The giant armadillo is an excellent swimmer

This clumsy creature feels extremely insecure on land. It doesn't move very fast. But on the other hand, in the water, the armadillo manifests itself as an excellent swimmer. He literally pumps himself with air and, thanks to this, keeps afloat. In addition, this animal is able to spend about 6 minutes under water, running along the bottom of the reservoir. This skill allows him to hide from predators in the water and quickly move to the other side if necessary.