armadillo
(plural: ‘armadillos‘)
a nine-banded armadillo
a kind of animal – mammal – small sized (30 inches or 75cm long on average); with bands of hard bone-like shell covering (armour plates) on the back; digging in moist soil near water for food and to make burrows (holes in the ground); lives (feeds/eats) mostly on insects, and flesh of dead animals, and occasionally plant matter; related to anteaters and sloths; lives for 12 – 15 years; there are about 20 species, originally native to the Americas but now found in most parts of the world
armadillo rolling into a ball
female ~~ female
baby ~~ pup
home ~~ burrow
an armadillo and its quardruplets
Nine-banded armadillo is the sole resident in the USA.
Nine-banded armadillo is the state animal of the Texas State, USA.
Pink fairy armadillo is very small, only 4 to 5 inches (12 to 15 cm) and the giant armadillo is 39 inches (100 cm) in length.
It is the only mammal that has armour plate covering.
The armadillo uses its hard shell covering for protection from predators and enemies. When attacked, only the South American three-banded armadillo rolls into a ball so that the shell, bony armour plate, protects it from enemies, but the other seven- or nine-banded ones run away (flee) from the enemies into the thorny bushes and the armour plates protect them from the thorns, or dig holes in the ground (burrows) and hide in them.
The females of most species (kinds) always give birth to four young (pups) that look exactly the same (identical quadruplets) in a single litter (at the same time), the other kinds give birth to one to eight pups in a litter.
As the seven- and nine-banded armadillos can develop leprosy, a very dangerous disease in people. These animals are used in medical research and laboratory experiments for leprosy, cancer and HIV.
About the Author:BC Kumar
BC Kumar, an English Language Teacher, taught in numerous countries including Ethiopia, Oman and India, shares his knowledge and passion for the English Language. Disclaimer: This is a free educational website and all content has been compiled by the author. All copyrights to images and videos belong to their respective owners.
