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Near-threatened Species
Description: The southern three-banded armadillo lives in the grasslands or marshes near forest and savannah areas of Bolivia, central Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. Because its numbers have declined due to habitat destruction, it is now protected.
Behavior: Active mainly at dusk and throughout the night, armadillos use their well-developed sense of smell to locate food in the dark. Their diet primarily consists of ants and termites, which they gather with a strap-like tongue, but they also eat beetle larva, fallen fruit, and small invertebrates like worms. They can even detect worm scent up to eight inches underground!
Defense is important to admadillos. To protect themselves from potential predators, armadillos are equipped with a special “armor:” two large shells that are free from the skin, allowing room for the head, legs, and tail to fit into when the animal rolls up into a ball. Usually it leaves a small space to forcefully close-in on the hand, finger, or paw of an attacker. It does, however, need to be careful of larger animals that are capable of cracking its shell, like the jaguar. Primarily solitary, it sometimes nests with other individuals during the cold season.
Reproduction: Female armadillos give birth from November through January, to one infant, after a gestation period of 104-124 days. Offspring are pink in color with fully-developed claws. They can live 12-15 years in the wild and up to 19 years in captivity.
Conservation Status: The southern three-banded armadillo is listed as Lower risk/near-threatened by the IUCN Redlist. Although agriculture and over-hunting have caused declines in some areas, the southern three-banded armadillo remains common in much of its range. However, it is at risk of becoming threatened in the future if current trends continue.
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