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armadillo fun facts

Closely related to anteaters and sloths, armadillos generally have a pointy or shovel-shaped snout and small eyes. The pattern on the head plate of an armadillo is unique to each individual. 1 – There are around 20 or so living species of armadillo, almost all of which are named, with a staggering lack of imagination, for aspects of their appearance. The lifespan of an armadillo ranges from 4 to 30 years. Interesting facts about the Mojave Desert, Interesting facts about Olympic Mountains. Armadillo are barrel shaped animals who have a natural armor for protection. Joesboy / Getty Images. Interesting and fun Armadillo facts all ranked by you! Check out these surprising armadillo facts: 10. This refers to the number of bands on the armadillo’s … One type of armadillo - the three banded armadillo - instinctually rolls itself into a ball when threatened, completely enclosing its body in its armor-like shell to defend against predators. There are 20 different species of armadillo, all of which live solely in Latin America with the exception of the Nine-banded armadillo which has expanded into the USA. Armadillo Facts. They can roll up into a ball within hours of being born. Armadillos are insectivores. A baby armadillo is called a pup. Armadillos live anywhere from seven to 20 years. The most common type of armadillo in the United States is the nine-banded armadillo. – Source, 2. 8 Shocking Facts About The Spanish Flu. Here are five interesting facts about them: These cute little mammals only grow about 11 cm long, making them the smallest species of armadillo in the world. Currently, more than 50 million armadillos are living in the United States. These fun facts really get you thinking about how far we’ve come. Armadillos do not form bonds, and the father does not stay to help raise the young. Armadillos love to swim and they're pretty good at it, too. During cold times, a group of armadillos may hunker down in a burrow together to share body heat. Those who blamed President Hoover for the crisis referred to them as “Hoover Hogs.” – Source, 8. Although its armor might seem like the armadillo’s most remarkable feature, these fascinating animals also exhibit a number of other traits that provide examples of interesting biological concepts. Armadillo shells have traditionally been used to make the back of the charango, an Andean lute instrument. When the pups are born, their shell is soft and gray and feels like leather. Nine-banded armadillos nearly always have litters of four babies, identical quadruplets. Other 19 types live in South America. – Source, 11. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one".. 4. All information appearing on this site has been precisely and thoroughly researched, nevertheless should you notice any errors, please do notify us via email. It is highly-territorial and always marks its territory. Armadillos of the genus Dasypus give birth to four genetically identical young that split from the same embryo; i.e. The shell hardens within a few days. Armadillo sizes span from 5-59 inches (12-150cm) in length and 3-120 pounds (1.3-54 kg) in weight. Interesting Pink Fairy Armadillo Facts: 1-5. Don't get the idea that they are cowards, however. – Source, 12. Only one armadillo species (nine-banded armadillo) lives in North America. There is a species of armadillo called the “Screaming Hairy Armadillo.” It is hunted for its meat and also its carapace (armor) which is used to construct a musical instrument called charangos. Armadillos are in the Cingulata, an order of New World placental mammals.The living ones have a leathery armored shell. They are also excellent climbers. Armadillo Facts. The Aztec Nahuatl language word for armadillo is “turtle-rabbit”. Their whole body (head, back, legs and tail) is covered with bony plates. Only one of the twenty-odd varieties of armadillos — the three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus) — is able to roll up.The other types are covered with too many bony plates to allow them to curl up. – Source, 4. Larry McElroy, while trying to shoot an armadillo with a 9mm pistol, had his bullet ricochet off the animal’s shell, hit a fence, go through the back door of his mother-in-law’s mobile home, pierce her recliner and finally hit her in the back. they always have identical quadruplets; they are the only known vertebrate animals to exhibit this “polyembryony”. Most of these are pretty ordinary, e.g the ‘Northern Naked-tailed’, Cabassous Centralis, ‘Southern Three-banded’, Tolypeutes matacus, ‘Big Hairy’ (yes, really! – Source, 10. 2. Interesting Facts About Armadillo. Fun Facts about Armadillos. ), Chaetophractus Vilosus and ‘Giant’, Priodontes Maximus. The word armadillo means “little armoured one” in Spanish. The pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) or pichiciego is the smallest species of armadillo, at 85 grams (3.0 ounces) and 13 to 15 centimeters (5.1–5.9 inches) in total length. The pink fairy armadillo is the smallest armadillo species measuring just 10 centimeters. Here are 13 Interesting Armadillo facts. One of the more amazing armadillo facts is that nine-banded armadillos always have quadruplets - four babies at a time, all of the same sex. Armadillos carry leprosy and caused a spike of leprosy cases in Florida in 2015. They can climb over the fence in the case they can’t dig underneath it. It is possible to housebreak an armadillo. Taking a 23-minute flight might seem like a waste of money today, but in 1914 Abram Pheil paid $400, which would be … Armadillos can have from 1 to 12 pups in a litter. Pups mature quickly. All Rights Reserved, 25 Uplifting Headlines of the Week - Part 101, 17 Interesting Facts About Hippopotamuses, 25 Interesting Facts About Extinct Animals, 25 Crazy Headlines of the Month – Part 84, 25 Interesting Historical Photos – Part 265. It becomes more active during the night, twilight, or just before sunrise. Petable: No. Armadillos can inflate their stomachs and intestines with air and float across the water. Scientific name: Chlamyphorus truncatus. Fun Facts. Breeding season for armadillos varies from species to species, but there are some armadillos that can reproduce year-round. However, while females are exclusive with their territories, males tend to overlap into those of others. Take a fresh look at the armadillo and see it in a new light. A pound of armadillo meat contains 780 calories. The pink colour of their shell is due to a network of blood vessels underneath, which can be seen through the armor. Only three-banded armadillo can curl into the ball to protect itself from predators. They can hold their breath for 6 minutes when they dive. Tweet. Details Written by Jeff Mayhew f Share. Learn Armadillo facts for kids. They usually sleep up to 16 hours each day in burrows. By nine to 12 months, the pups are mature and ready to have offspring of their own. – Source, 9. Armadillos have little body fat and thin shells, so they cannot maintain their internal temperature as most mammals do. Armadillos are one of the few animals who consume fire ants as part of their diet. It can dig some really deep burrows that are roughly 8 inches wide, 7 feet deep, and 25 feet long. Interesting Pink Fairy Armadillo Facts 1. Their body length, excluding their tail, ranges between 90 mm and 115 mm. KickassFacts - Fact Encyclopedia. Armadillos have strong legs and sharp claws. Armadillos are a unique kind of mammal, and there are about 20 different species. Although most armadillo species look like they are bald, they do have wiry hairs on the sides and the belly. Armadillos can be pinkish, dark-brown, black, red, gray or yellowish in color. Get facts about antlion here. Its body has an excellent mechanism to get across lakes… Nine-banded Armadillo Facts Contrary to popular belief, the nine-banded armadillo can not roll itself into a ball to escape predators!! –Source, 3. The nine-banded Armadillo is a solitary, nocturnal animal. The burrows of the nine banded armadillo are often located in moist soils. People do eat armadillo meat. Armadillos are great swimmers. Ancient humans hunted Glyptodon, an extinct massive armadillo, in order to live within their shells. Such an ability can make armadillos very beneficial to humans. Armadillos are the only mammals whose body is covered with hard shell. Their average length is about 75 centimeters (30 in), including the tail. Despite popular belief, only two types of armadillos can roll themselves into a ball: the Brazilian armadillo and the southern three-banded armadillo. STICKY TONGUE, the nine-banded armadillo from … 4. Armadillos have very poor eyesight, and use their keen sense of smell to hunt for food. Closely related to anteaters and sloths , armadillos generally have a pointy or shovel-shaped snout and small eyes . Baby armadillos are called pups. Like anteaters, they have long sticky tongue that works perfectly when they hunt ants and termites. 1. Some people in Mexico, Central America and South America also eat armadillos, whose meat is sometimes used as a substitute for pork. This odd-looking creature still resembles its ancient relatives, and there are some interesting facts about these creatures that few know. 10. Armadillo shells are so strong that two people have been reported as being injured by bullets ricocheting off armadillos’ shells. They give birth once a year, and always to a litter of four males or four females. Interesting Armadillo Facts: They vary in size, from 5-59 inches in length to 3-120 pounds in weight. Factlist containing Fascinating Armadillo Facts. Armadillo - Photo: mlorenz/Shutterstock Pupils are welcome to use this information at school for animal profiles, fact sheets, essays, work sheets, presentations, posters or homework. Armadillos are solitary most of the time and spend most of their time sleeping. Read on for some cute facts about pink fairy armadillo. The Giant Armadillo grows up to 100 cm (39 … The giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) is the largest of the armadillo species and can reach up to 150 centimeters (59 inches) including tail and weigh up to 54 kilograms (119 pounds). 3. 1-5 Armadillo Facts 1. Length: 9 – 12 centimeters. Due to their lack of fat stores, most armadillos stick to areas closer to the equator because they like temperate to warm areas. This is what gives the pink fairy armadillo shell its pink or pale-rose appearance. In fact, only the three-banded armadillo can, curling its head and back feet and contorting its shell into a hard ball that confounds would-be predators. Armadillos of the genus Dasypus give birth to four genetically identical young that … An Armadillo is a New World placental mammal. 11. Usually, the only time armadillos get together is to mate or to keep warm. Two species of Armadillo i.e Southern Three-banded Armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus) and the Brazilian Three-banded Armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus) can roll into a ball. – Source, 6. 2. The smallest species of armadillo is the pink fairy armadillo - only 5-6" long and less than 1 lb in weight. Armadillos are small mammals with a shell of armored plates that protect them from predators. ... 24 Fun Facts About David Beckham. – Source, 7. There is no need to wonder that you can find them in the burrows near the arroyos, streams and creeks. Although most of their diet consists of insects and invertebrates, armadillos also eat fruit, eggs, and small animals. – Source, 13. 1. There is a 5-inch-long pink-shelled armadillo species called the Pink Fairy Armadillo. The number of armored bands identifies the different species. Both are found in South America. Ecosystem Engineers. It is fairly common throughout Florida except for the Keys, Everglades and Big Cypress swamp. One exceptionally large specimen tipped the scales at 180 lbs. Twenty Terrific Facts About The Number 20. Armadillos can be pinkish, dark-brown, black, red, gray or yellowish in color. The nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus, is by far the most familiar, but armadillos come in an impressive range of shapes and sizes, and with some of the most amusing names.Among the less-well-known species are the screaming hairy armadillo, the greater long-nosed armadillo, the southern naked-tailed armadillo, the pink fairy armadillo (which is only … They can be pink, red, black, gray or yellow.Some people eat armadillos and claim it tastes like pork.The nine-banded armadillo is the official state animal of Texas.The giant armadillo can have up to 100 teeth, according to the San Diego Zoo.The screaming hairy armadillo gets it name from the sound it makes when threatened. Pink fairy armadillos have very powerful claws and a thin body that helps them to dig very quickly in their search for food, which includes ants, larvae, worms, snails and plants. Armadillos can delay pregnancy to ensure good environmental conditions. 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Genus Dasypus give birth to four genetically identical young that split from the same embryo ; i.e “ little one... Size, from 5-59 inches in length shell its pink or pale-rose appearance āyōtl ( turtle ) and tōchtli rabbit. Less than 1 lb in weight the genus Dasypus give birth to four identical... The ball to protect itself from predators the male ’ s … interesting pink armadillo... Species are threatened because of habitat loss and hunting and soft white hair four,! Have very poor eyesight, and 25 feet long “ little armoured one ” Spanish. And termites in their shells to protect itself from predators pink colour of their time sleeping with! Black, red, gray or yellowish in color mammal, and use their keen sense of smell to for... Wide range of colors equator because they like temperate to warm areas birth once a year, and feet... Armadillos carry leprosy and caused a spike of leprosy cases in Florida in 2015 year, and there some! 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