Armadillo Information



The Nine Banded Armadillo: One Of The Most Interesting Animals In America

Armadillos are very interesting animals, and one of the amazing of these is the Nine Banded Armadillo. This species is commonly found in all areas of America, including South and Central America. Such a wide distribution makes the Nine Banded Armadillo one of the most common kinds of armadillos in the world. The animal can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including areas with dry scrub, in rainforests and even in grassland areas. It is a nocturnal animal, so if you need to spot one your chances would be best if you looked out for one at night when it comes out to look for food.

The Nine Banded Armadillo is normally a solitary animal and usually feeds on insects. The most common insects that make up part of the Nine Banded Armadillo diet include termites and ants, though it can also eat other small invertebrates. For one who has never been familiar with one, seeing one for the first time may give you the impression that it has no physical ability, and that it would be very slow when moving around. However, the Nine Banded Armadillo is known to be able to jump up to four feet in the air, especially when frightened. Since they come out at night, this means that they pose a risk to motorists even when they are alert. When the headlights of a car shine on the armadillo while it is crossing the road, the fear induced may cause it to jump. This height is sufficient to cause it to be at the level of your windscreen when you hit it, which means that it may end up damaging the car’s screen.

The Nine Banded Armadillo normally weighs between five and ten kilograms, and is normally around 15 to 30 inches long from the head to the base of the tail. The length of the tail is around 20 inches. Its body is normally covered in a shell that is made out of a series of scales overlapping each other. These are normally connected by a band of skin. This covering usually covers the whole of the animal apart from the underside and the inside portions of the legs. Other kinds of armadillos can usually roll themselves in a ball such as when scared, but the Nine Banded Armadillo does not have this capability. However, it has developed a number of interesting mechanisms that it can use when crossing rivers.

For instance, it has the ability to inflate its intestines, making it buoyant enough to float across a river with ease. If this is not possible for any reason, it can submerge itself in the water and simply run across the riverbed, since it can hold its breath for around five minutes. This characteristic is an adaptation which allows it to also be able to keep its snout in the soil for extended periods of time, since it may need to do this when looking for food. Of the many different animal species that are available in America, this is probably one of the most interesting ones due to its many strange characteristics.

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