Armadillos

Armadillos are strange-looking creatures that look like a mixture between a wind-up toy and a tank. They range from the southern part of the United States to the southern end of South America. Their habitat is generally wetlands with lots of shade and soil that is soft and easy to dig in, but they can also be found living on savannas and prairies. Armadillos, whose name means 'little armored thing' in Spanish, are mammals that are the only species in their family. Though they have wiry hairs on their bellies, tough armory bands cover their back, tail, and forehead. The bands, the number of which varies according to the species, are linked together by softer skin that allows the shell to stretch and contract.

All armadillos have long claws for digging and foraging for food. They usually dine on insects, though they also eat invertebrates, fruit, eggs, and small animals. They make their homes by creating burros underground, in hollow logs, and in grass. They spend most of their time traveling in search of food and watching for predators.

There are twenty different species of armadillos; all of them vary tremendously. The pink fairy armadillo, the lightest armadillo, weighs only eight ounces, while the enormous giant armadillo weighs up to 132 pounds (San Diego Zoo). This is just one of the many differences between different armadillo species.

Most armadillos are solitary creatures, though occasionally in cold weather they will group together in burrows to keep warm. They are forced to do this because unlike most mammals, armadillos are not able to regulate their internal body temperature. For this reason they also vary their sleep habits; in the hotter months armadillos keep cool by becoming nocturnal, and in cool weather they become diurnal to get warmth from the sun. Besides gathering to keep warm, armadillos rarely come together except for mating. The father has no part in raising his offspring, but the pups stay with their mother for up to a year. One to four pups can be born to a litter, according to the San Diego Zoo.

Sadly, the numbers of all species except for the nine-banded armadillo are declining. Habitat loss is a large part of this decline, though there are other reasons as well. Farmers regard them as pests, due to their tendency to dig. In more urban settings, they are run over by cars and killed by exterminators. In other places, armadillos are eaten or their shells are made into purses. This is a very unfortunate thing, because armadillos are strange and charming little creatures. The giant armadillo and the pink fairy armadillo, the largest and the smallest species, are both on the verge of extinction. Happily, more people are becoming aware all the time of the armadillo's plight, and are striving to help them survive.

San Diego Zoo: http://www.sdzoo.com/animalbytes/t-armadillo.html