THE NINE BANDED ARMADILLO
Photo by John Collignon
The habitat of these little guys ranges from South America to Kansas and Missouri. They are mostly nocturnal (I’ve seen a lot of them grazing for snails and worms along I-75 in Florida at dusk.) They are omnivorous and like a good juicy bug as well as vegetable matter.When armadillos mate, a single egg is fertilized, and from this egg develops four identical baby armadillos. They are always identical as to sex and other characteristics. I just find that really interesting.
It seems like the automobile is an armadillo’s worst enemy. It is often killed because it has a habit of leaping straight up in the air when alarmed- so even if the car wheels straddle the armadillo it can still be dispatched by the car’s undercarriage.
One pretty clever trick the armadillo has is to inflate its intestines with air to create a buoyant condition and allow it to cross rivers.
The nine banded armadillo is just about the only species of armadillo that is extending its range. Most other kinds seem to be in decline.
I know some people consider them pests due to their habit of digging up ground- but I can’t imagine feeling anything but fondness for these odd little creatures. And even though they aren’t considered rare, I still get quite a thrill when I happen upon one during a Florida hike.
Merry Rosenfield
