A small, tropical animal with broad, scaly-looking, bony plates covering the head, shoulders, rump, and long pointed tail. The armadillo’s body has a series of narrow, moveable bands of armor that give the animal flexibility and allow it to roll into a ball to protect itself from enemies. Armadillos are usually the color of the dirt in which they have been digging most recently as they build burrows and search for food. They cross streams by walking across the bottom or swallowing air so that they can float across.
Forest, Grassland
Nine-banded armadillos are found in South, Central, and North America, and have the largest range of any extant species of armadillo, from Argentina and Uruguay, through Central America and into the southern United States.
Spring, Summer
Abundant
Nocturnal
Primarily insects
Nine-banded armadillos are solitary, largely nocturnal animals that come out to forage around dusk but forage earlier in the day during cold or cloudy periods. They are extensive burrowers, with a single animal sometimes maintaining up to 12 burrows on its range. Armadillos mark their territory with urine, feces, and excretions from scent glands found on the eyelids, nose, and feet.
Least Concern
