It's huge, scary and covered in armor. Is it a tank? No, it's a giant armadillo. The largest of all armadillo species, the giant armadillo is an expert digger. It has powerful front legs and specially modified claws, including a sickle-shaped third claw that can measure eight inches long. The armadillo uses these built-in shovels to find food and to dig holes for escaping from danger.
Thick Skin: The plating on the back of a giant armadillo is actually part of its skin! The plates are arranged in a series of flexible bands and feature a hard, bone-like outer material that protects the animal from most predators.
Tale of Tail: The giant armadillo's rope-like tail is 18 to 20 inches long. The thick, armored tail helps keep the armadillo balanced as it stands on its hind legs and tears into a termite mound.
Breaking and Entering[]
Thanks to its size and armor, the giant armadillo has few natural predators.
The giant armadillo is most active at night. One reason is because its favorite food, termites, are also nocturnal. Keeping its long snout close to the ground, the giant armadillo uses its incredible sense of smell to sniff out a termite mound. The armadillo digs frantically, ripping the mound apart with its powerful front claws. It then laps up the fleeing termites with its long, sticky tongue.
Dig It! When a giant armadillo senses danger, it can dig a protective hole with remarkable speed. It sits in the hole to cover its legs and soft underside, leaving only its armored shield exposed.
Fast Food: A giant armadillo spends the daylight hours in its burrow, where it's safe from predators and the hot sunlight. Armadillos often live inside active termite mounds, so their next meal is never very far away.
Banded Brothers[]
- The nine-banded armadillo is the only armadillo that's native to the United States. Like most armadillos, the nine-banded is a skilled digger. Its body is half the size of the giant armadillo's, but its huge tail is almost as long as that of its giant cousin.
- The six-banded armadillo is one of the few armadillos that is active during the day. Sometimes called the yellow armadillo, it shares much of its South American habitat with the giant armadillo, but weighs only about one-tenth as much as its larger relative.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The two photos of the giant armadillo on the back are also used in the Wildlife Explorer card for the armadillo.
- The giant armadillo is featured on several Monster Mania cards:
- It is first in It's All Relative! on Monster Mania 41.
- It is later featured in The Giants on Monster Mania 65.