Nine-banded Armadillo Images

Nine-banded Armadillo Images, Facts and Information:

Dasypus novemcinctus

• Nine-banded Armadillos are medium-sized mammals with a distinctive armor-like shell, consisting of bony plates covered in leathery skin. They have 9 visible bands (though this can vary from 8 to 11), a long snout, small eyes, large pointed ears, and short legs with strong claws.
• Nine-banded Armadillos are found in North, Central, and South America, ranging from Argentina and Uruguay through Central America and into the southern United States. Their range has been expanding northward and can now be found as far north as Missouri and Illinois.
• Nine-banded Armadillos inhabit various environments including forests, scrublands, grasslands, savannas, and areas near water sources. They prefer regions regions with sufficient rainfall and softer soils for easier burrowing.
• Nine-banded Armadillos primarily eat small invertebrates, which they find by foraging in forest litter and digging in soft soil. They may also consume some fruits, small reptiles, amphibians, and bird eggs.
• Nine-banded Armadillos breed in the summer. Females give birth to four identical young, all of the same sex, after a gestation period of about four months.
• Nine-banded Armadillos are often called “armored possums” or “Texas speedbumps” due to their appearance and tendency to be hit by cars.
• A group of armadillos can be called a “roll” or “band” of armadillos.
• The oldest known Nine-banded Armadillo in captivity lived to be 23 years old.

I hope you enjoy viewing my Nine-banded Armadillo photos.