This week's animal is the armadillo!
Armadillo is Spanish word for “little armored one.”
There are 20 different types of armadillos. You can find armadillos in North, South and Central America.
by Rich Anderson The only species of armadillo that lives in North America is the nine-banded armadillo (pictured above).
Armadillos have bad eyesight but a good sense of smell and hearing.
Armadillos are insectivores. They sometimes eat fruit.
Armadillos are insectivores. They sometimes eat fruit.
Armadillos come in a wide variety of colors (pinkish, gray, yellowish, black, dark-brown) and range in size from 6 inches to 5 feet in length.
The nine banded armadillo can jump about 4 feet when startled (pictured below).
by gurdonark
The screaming hairy armadillo cries out loudly when threatened (pictured above).
Armadillos sleep about 16 hours a day.
Armadillo behavior can change from season to season. In hotter months, armadillos are often nocturnal while in the cooler months they are more active during the day. This is because they have a low body temperature which can be difficult to maintain.The screaming hairy armadillo cries out loudly when threatened (pictured above).
Armadillos sleep about 16 hours a day.
by Makuahine Pa'i Ki'i Armadillos are mammals so they have hair on their belly and sides. The amount of hair varies from species to species. Nine banded armadillos have very little hair while the fairy armadillo (pictured above) is mostly hairy.
Armadillos have strong legs and big claws for digging and long sticky tongues for eating ants and termites.
Hope you had fun learning more about armadillos!