Armadillo

Description:

spotted at santa clara ranch. The Texas armadillo is about the size of a large cat; its overall length is about 2½ feet, and adults weigh from twelve to seventeen pounds. Mature females mate in late summer and autumn and give birth to identical quadruplets the following spring. The armadillo's diet consists chiefly of insects, grubs, and spiders, though it also eats such foods as earthworms, small amphibians, and reptiles. Armadillos are small to medium-sized mammals. The smallest species, the pink fairy armadillo, is roughly chipmunk-sized at 85 g (3.0 oz) and 11 cm (4.3 in) in total length. The largest species, the giant armadillo, can be the size of a small pig, weigh up to 60 kg (130 lb) and be over 100 cm (39 in) long.[3][4] They are prolific diggers. Many species use their sharp claws to dig for food, such as grubs, and to dig dens. The nine-banded armadillo prefers to build burrows in moist soil near the creeks, streams, and arroyos around which it lives and feeds. The diets of different armadillo species vary, but consist mainly of insects, grubs, and other invertebrates. Some species, however, feed almost entirely on ants and termites.

Habitat:

Armadillos are adaptable animals. They have few natural enemies; hunters, dogs, coyotes, and automobiles are among the chief agents of mortality. Armadillos are able to survive and reproduce in a variety of habitats. They are, however, susceptible to prolonged drought and extended periods of subfreezing weather so that, except for isolated individuals, armadillos are not permanent residents west or north of the Panhandle and Trans-Pecosqqv regions. Currently, the range of the armadillo extends into northern Oklahoma and Arkansas and east to Georgia and Florida. Individual animals have been reported in New Mexico, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and South Carolina; a single specimen has been seen in Colorado.

Notes:

Armadillos are the only living mammals with armor-like shells. » Armadillos have a very low body temperature that ranges between 33° C to 36° C. » A female nine-banded armadillo can give birth to 56 pups in her lifetime, all of which are born as identical quadruplets. » Armadillos have a strong olfactory sense, and can smell up to 20 cm below the ground. » Armadillos sleep for 18-19 hours a day and are active during the night.