Armadillo / Dasypodidae

An armadillo roots around the forest floor looking for its food, they have very long, sharp nails for digging.

The word armadillo in Spanish means 'little armoured one'. Of the 20 varieties of armadillo, all but one live in Latin America. 

These creatures are covered in hard bony plated, all over their legs, heads and tails.Closely related to anteaters and sloth's, armadillos generally have a pointy or shovel-shaped snout and small eyes, Contrary to popular belief, not all armadillos are able to encase themselves in their shells. In fact, only the three-banded armadillo can, curling its head and back feet and contorting its shell into a hard ball that confounds would-be predators.

Population numbers of nearly all species are threatened by habitat loss and over-hunting. Many cultures in the Americas consume armadillo flesh.

Armadillos are Mammals and eat meat and vegetation, they can live for around 12 - 15 years and are now under threat, of poaching. 

The size of an armadillo compared with man: