I’m an Armadillo
It means little armored one

I have a tough leathery scaly skin with patterns that is shell like.

It’s nicely designed and serves for my protection

I also have a tail

I am common to North, Central and South America and Mexico and have been introduced in other parts of the world where I can survive.



I am unique looking.

I have short legs, claws, a small face, small nose, eyes and small ears.

I don’t have good eyesight but I do have a keen sense of smell.

I walk in shallow waters and roam the land.



I can swim despite my heavy shell but I do tread water and if shallow enough will walk on the bottom floor holding my breath as long as I can up to 6 minutes.



I also love to dig burrows and tunnels underground and stay in cool places on hot summer days.



The smallest of armadillo grows to 6 inches weighing less than a pound and the largest grows to 5 feet in length weighing as much as 120 pounds.



Armadillos live near waterways and streams, forests, prairies, grasslands, scrublands, rainforests and sand dunes.



There are 21 species of armadillos all unique in their own way.



The nine banded armadillo is quite interesting as the female in many cases gives birth to 4 identical quadruplets which develops from one single egg.



This is a phenomenon that has puzzled geneticists and scientists in the frequency of such identical quadruplet births in this species of armadillo.



The pink fairy armadillo common to Argentina is the smallest species a few inches and a few ounces and can curl into a ball as it has a soft shell. They burrow fast into the ground at a quick speed and disappears magically and magnificently.



Armadillos are solitary animals. They do seek out mates when they leave the care of their mothers in their dens and are ready to go on their own at about a year from young pup.



Armadillos have to be careful from predators and are threatened by vehicular traffic sadly falling victim on the road as they travel in some areas that are far too dangerous for them in their creation of burrows too close to the roads where cars travel.



Armadillos eat insects and love to feast on ants and termites for their meals.



Armadillos have a life expectancy in the wild of 7 to 12 years depending on where they habitat.



If they live close to heavily travelled areas their life expectancy is shorter.



If they live in rainforests and areas where they are free from threat they live longer.



In captivity armadillos can live up to 20 years and longer if well cared for in zoos and sanctuaries.



Armadillos similarly to badgers love to dig underground creating burrows and tunnels and they enjoy their privacy but welcome companions in cold weather to help keep warm huddling together in dens.



Armadillos can be traced as far back as 3 million years to the glyptodon, a giant armadillo that once roamed the earth and went extinct in time.



An armadillo can run as fast as 30 miles per hour which is surprising with their shell as a turtle has a shell also and can only go at a clip of 1 to 2 miles per hour.



Armadillo contribute to the ecosystem by controlling insect populations in their habitat. They serve as a form of pest control management.



If you see me burrowing underneath the ground please let me do my thing as I need to protect myself from predators and the heat.



I’m an armadillo.