Why do armadillos die on their back

In some cases, people become infected from inhaling armadillo fecal spores. A common myth is that armadillos curl up into tight balls and roll away. None actively choose to roll away from predators. The only armadillos able to curl into tight balls are two species belonging to the Tolypeutes genus. These are commonly known as the Brazilian and Southern three-banded armadillos. All other armadillo species have too many plates, making this level of flexibility impossible. Giant armadillos Priodontes maximus are the largest living armadillos, weighing 45 to pounds in the wild.

In captivity, they've reached pounds. They extend nearly 5. Their 8-inch middle front claws are the longest claws of any mammal. IUCN lists the giant armadillo as a vulnerable species. Their primary threats are hunting for meat and habitat loss. Additionally, poaching for the illegal pet trade further jeopardizes these giants. The pink fairy armadillo Chlamyphorus truncatus is named for its pink armor and size. It measures between 4 and 6 inches in length and weighs about 3.

In addition to the armor on their back, they have a vertical rump plate used to backfill burrows. The species lives in the sandy plain and scrubby grasslands of central Argentina.

IUCN lists these rarely seen armadillos as data deficient, but indicators suggest the species may qualify as near threatened. The species is primarily under threat due to habitat loss, while the animal's popularity on social media has led to an increasing number being captured for pets — a situation in which most of them die within eight days. The screaming hairy armadillo Chaetophractus vellerosus has more than armor as a defense.

It has a pair of screeching lungs. Anytime this species perceives a threat, it emits extremely loud, alarm-like vocalizations. Hunters trap this species for its meat and carapace.

Despite this harvest, it is a species of least concern across most of its range, covering portions of Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, and Argentina. Armadillos spend most of their lives sleeping, but the pichi Zaedyus pichiy takes it a step further by hibernating every winter. After building up fat stores and settling down in a burrow, the pichi's body temperature drops from 95 degrees to 58 degrees Fahrenheit.

These armadillos also enter daily states of torpor, a type of mini-hibernation. This species is found in the Patagonian Steppe and Pampas. While the nine-banded armadillo population currently thrives, other species aren't as lucky. IUCN lists the Brazilian three-banded and giant armadillo as vulnerable. The Pichi, Southern long-nosed, Northern long-nosed, Southern three-banded, and Chacoan naked-tailed armadillo species are listed as near threatened.

Five additional species are data-deficient and potentially endangered as well. Hunting and habitat loss are the primary threats to armadillos. Habitat loss drivers are mining and deforestation for palm oil plantations, cattle ranching, and other agro-industry factors. The mining has increased due to the demand for copper to use in electronics. Known as charangos, these stringed instruments are an integral part of traditional Andean music in Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.

While they were once commonly made from an armadillo's dried shell, contemporary charangos are generally made with wood or sometimes calabash gourds. Armadillo shells are also used to make carnival rattles called matracas. In , it became illegal to own or sell new armadillo matracas. Armadillos mark their territory with secretions from the anal gland. Individuals may be able to recognize others through scent marking.

When alarmed they can run quickly. They have a habit of leaping vertically like a bucking horse before running away in a surprising burst of speed. Contrary to popular folklore, the nine-banded armadillo cannot curl into a ball to protect itself. Armadillos are good climbers and readily climb fences although they are not known to climb trees. They often use fallen and leaning logs and trees to escape rising water along streams and rivers. Armadillos can cross water by either swimming in a typical, dog-paddle motion or walking on the bottom while holding their breath.

Buoyancy is increased by ingesting air into the stomach and intestines. Armadillos can cross small water bodies by holding their breath and walking underwater for short distances. One armadillo swam across a river yards wide. Having a specific gravity of 1. Armadillo are known to take mud baths on hot days, perhaps to remove parasites or to coat themselves in cooling mud.

They make a variety of low grunting sounds when feeding or to call young to mother. They are capable of learning simple tasks in a laboratory, such as recognizing patterns in a Y-maze. They are primarily solitary animals except during brief periods for mating and mother-young groups. Armadillos prefer habitat near streams but avoid excessively wet or dry extremes. Soil type is important due to their burrowing.

They prefer sandy or clay soils. Armadillos can be found in pine forests, hardwood woodlands, grass prairies, salt marsh and coastal dunes. Human created habitats such as pasture, cemeteries, parks, golf courses, plant nurseries and crop lands also provide suitable habitat. They also forage along roadsides. While foraging, armadillos always seem to know where they are and, if alarmed, often take a direct route to the safety of a nearby burrow or tangle of roots and briars.

They usually dig their own burrows. Burrow entrances will be 8 to 10 inches across and range from 2 to 24 feet long averaging 3 to 4 feet. The burrow entrance is often concealed among clumps of vegetation, fallen logs or under buildings. Each armadillo may have 5 to 10 burrows. The average number of different burrows used per individual armadillo was Other animals will use armadillo burrows including rabbits, opossums, mink, cotton rats, striped skunks, burrowing owls, and the eastern indigo snake.

Occasionally, armadillos will cohabit with other animals. Armadillo do not always dig a burrow; some will build nests out of dry grass. These nests resemble small haystacks and are often used in areas of wet soil.

On Cumberland Island, University of Georgia researchers found that 75 percent of all dens were under saw palmetto plants. The home range size is smaller for the armadillo than for similar sized animals. Researchers at the University of Georgia found that armadillos on Cumberland Island had a home range of 13 acres in summer and only 4 acres in winter.

Armadillos spent 65 percent of their time in burrows in winter compared to only 29 percent in summer. Armadillos have few wild predators, but coyotes, dogs, black bears, bobcats, cougars, foxes and raccoons are reported to catch and kill armadillos in places where these predators occur.

Hawks, owls and feral pigs may prey on armadillo young. One study noted a decline in armadillo numbers as feral pig populations increased.

Humans and highways are significant sources of mortality in many areas. One study in Florida, however, found no juveniles in a road-killed sample. Armadillos probably live 6 to 7 years in the wild. Population density is about one animal per 4 acres but could range as high as two animals per acre. Their flesh is tasty and often eaten by people. Weather, especially cold winters, may be the most effective barrier to northern range expansion.

Their normal body temperature is degrees F. Armadillos may carry diseases transmissible to humans, but reports are rare. Armadillos can acquire leprosy and are used in medical research to study this disease. Only two cases are known in which a human contracted leprosy from wild armadillos. Both cases are from Texas, and the transmission occurred by consuming raw or undercooked armadillo meat.

There are no reported positive cases in Georgia, Alabama or Florida. One wild armadillo in Texas was reported to have rabies but no known transmission to humans has occurred. Armadillos on Cumberland Island, Georgia, had between 0 and 3 species of parasitic worms per individual.

The average was 14 worms per individual armadillo but the impact of these parasites on the health of the animal is unknown. In Georgia, 78 percent of county agents reported receiving requests for information regarding armadillos, and that armadillo complaints accounted for nearly 11 percent of all animal complaints they received each year.

No dollar value was attached to the damage complaints, however. Furthermore, the monetary value of damage done to vehicles is not known. Damage occurs to lawns and landscape due to digging for insects and other food items. Shallow holes 1 to 3 inches deep and 3 to 5 inches wide, usually shaped like an inverted cone, are the most common landowner complaints. Armadillos can uproot flowers and other plantings through their foraging.

Damage is generally local and of a nuisance variety more than a large scale economic loss. Armadillo can be controlled by trapping. Wire cage live traps measuring at least 10 x 12 x 32 inches are recommended. Setting traps along natural barriers like logs or the side of a building increases capture success. Placing the trap in front of a burrow entrance is better than random placement in the environment. No bait, lure or attractant has been shown to be effective in increasing capture success, although there are numerous report of baits used with varying success.

No repellents are registered for use with armadillo. No toxicants poisons are registered for use. Pesticide use to reduce insect populations in landscape settings may be effective. No fumigants are registered for use to control armadillo. A southern three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes matacus photographed at Lincoln Children's Zoo in Nebraska. Common Name: Armadillos. Scientific Name: Dasypodidae. Type: Mammals. Diet: Omnivore. Average Life Span In Captivity: 12 to 15 years.

Size: 5 to 59 inches. Weight: 3 ounces to pounds. Size relative to a 6-ft man:. This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo. Share Tweet Email. Go Further. Animals Climate change is shrinking many Amazonian birds. Animals Wild Cities This wild African cat has adapted to life in a big city.

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