| * |
HABITS
Unlike other armadillo species that dig burrows for shelter,
three-banded armadillos hide in bushes or undergrowth by day. They are active mostly after
dusk but may come out to feed in daytime.
Three-banded armadillos are solitary except in the
breeding season. They mark their territories with scent-- females more often than mates.
Fights may break out when territories overlap but are rarely serious.
Three-banded armadillos are well adapted to their hot,
dry habitat. Air trapped beneath their thick armor helps keep them cool. This insulation
also reduces heat loss, so the armadillos can stay active in cold winter weather.
When threatened, a three- banded armadillo rolls itself
up into a grapefruit-size ball, covering its soft underparts with armor. Rigid outer
plates project over the sides of the body.
When the animal curls up, the edges of the shoulder and
hip plates meet. The gaps are entirely filled by the head and tail armor. There is room
inside the ball for the limbs and fleshy ears. This defense mechanism seems successful
against most enemies, but a large predator like a jaguar may be able to crack the shell.
Above: Thick armor insulates
three-banded armadillos against the heat of the day. |
* |
Three-banded armadillos live in
and areas of South America. Like most armadillos, they have the remarkable ability to
protect their soft underbellies by rolling up into a ball.
BREEDING
Little is known about the breeding habits of armadillos except the
nine-banded species. This is partly because they do not breed successfully in captivity.
Three-banded armadillos probably mate in summer, but delayed
implantation of the embryo may occur. A single young is born between October and January.
Although it is born blind, it can walk and roll itself into a ball within a few hours. Its
armor is soft and leathery at first, but it turns into a hard, protective shell a few
weeks later.
Above: When curled up, an armadillo is
protected from all but the most determined predators.
|
* |
FOOD & FEEDING
Three-banded armadillos feed mainly at dusk and night. They eat
mostly termites and ants, plus other insects, fallen fruit, and small invertebrates such
as worms. They rely on their well developed sense of smell to locate food because their
other senses are poor. They can even detect the scent of worms that are eight inches
underground.
At dusk armadillos come out of their daytime hiding
places and amble over the ground, sniffing the surface.
When an armadillo discovers a termite mound or an ant
run, it digs with its strong front claws. Then it scoops up the fleeing insects with its
long tongue.
Above: Three-banded armadillos are seen
mainly at night, when they come out to feed.
KEY FACTS
Length: Body, 12-14 in. Tail, 2-3
in.
Weight: 4-7 lb.
Sexual maturity: 1 year.
Mating: Early and late summer.
Gestation: Unknown.
Number of young: 1
Habit: Solitary, nocturnal.
Diet: Ants and termites, plus other insects,
small invertebrates, and some fruit.
Lifespan: Up to 15 years in the wild, but usually
less. |
* |
| Did You Know?
Although classified as an edentate (toothless mammal), an armadillo
has small, peg-like, primitive teeth that grow only at the sides of the jaw.
Armadillos have very succulent flesh, so people have hunted then
for centuries.
The to species of three-banded armadillo are identical except for
the claws on their forefeet. The southern armadillo has four claws, and the
Brazilian has five.
Armadillo species with unusual names include the pink fairy
armadillo and the screaming hairy armadillo.
|
|
