The Spanish conquistadors, while traveling through South America, encountered many outlandish and unusual creatures. Among them, however, they found beasts that looked as if they were wearing shining armor. Amazed by this sight, the Spaniards dubbed these animals “latnics” or “armadillos”. Since then, this name has been widely used in many languages of the world. In Russia, zoologists came up with a similar name for these amazing creatures – armadillos.
Armadillos, or armadillos (Dasypodidae), belong to the class of mammals and are represented by about 20 species, united in 9 genera and 5 subfamilies. These animals have different sizes: the smallest clad armadillo reaches a body length with a tail of 15-18 centimeters and weighs about 90 grams, while the largest giant armadillo can reach a length of up to 150 centimeters and weigh more than 50 kilograms.
Armadillos live mainly in South America, but some species can also be found in North America. They prefer to inhabit open landscapes and feed on insects, terrestrial invertebrates and carrion. One of the characteristics of these animals is their activity in digging in the ground. They use this skill both to find food and to build dens. Some armadillo species have completely adopted an underground lifestyle and dig numerous temporary burrows.
Armadillos prefer to live near bodies of water, although they can survive in desert environments as well, except in rocky areas. They are excellent swimmers and divers, and are able to hold their breath for up to 6 minutes due to their low metabolism and large respiratory volume. The main enemies of armadillos are cougars, coyotes, wolves and dogs. In many countries, these animals are hunted for their meat, which is considered a delicacy, and for their shell, which is used to create various products such as musical instruments and decorative baskets. Armadillos are also a danger to cattle ranchers, as their burrows can cause mutilation and broken legs in livestock. In addition, they are often killed on roads. Most armadillo species are listed as threatened on the International Red List.
Armadillos are unique animals that arouse wonder and interest in people. Their shiny shell and their ability to adapt to different environmental conditions make them truly unique creatures.
