Armadillos: Warner Park’s Oddest Mammal!
Photos and Videos by
Kim Bailey
With squinty little eyes reminiscent of Winnie the Pooh’s Piglet, leathery ears, and an armored body, the armadillo looks like no other mammal in town. Indeed, it is the only mammal of the Order Xenarthra found in the United States. An identifying characteristic of this order is the presence of rudimentary teeth consisting solely of enamel-less, peg-like molars.
A century ago, you would have probably had to go to Texas to see an armadillo, but a warming climate and lack of predators has allowed this spunky critter to expand its territory. Due to their low metabolic rate and low fat reserves, populations are limited by prolonged cold weather. First documented in Tennessee in 1960, armadillos are now found as far north as southern Nebraska and as far east as North Carolina.
A number of sightings have been reported in Warner Park over the years. My favorite was of a mother and her young (each litter consists of identical quadruplets) near the Alleé. What could be cuter than 4 tiny “Piglets” snuffling through the leaves?! The most recent sighting was of a dead adult on the Hill Forest after a week of intense cold. I suspect most sightings are of dead adults, usually along the highway, where they fall victim to traffic.
Armadillos can be relatively easy to observe if you are lucky enough to be downwind. Intent on foraging, they seem oblivious to their surroundings and may even walk right up to you. It quickly becomes clear that they have extremely poor vision. When alarmed, they stand up on their rear feet and sniff the air for any sign of danger. If a threat is detected, they run for cover, the bands of armor protecting the body from thorns and low- growing brush.
An armadillo runs with surprising speed when it detects danger.
The armadillo will dive into a burrow if one is nearby. If
one is not handy and loose soil is available, it will put its claws to work,
excavating a burrow in record time.
The sharp claws of an armadillo are perfect tools for digging.
Contrary to popular belief, nine-banded armadillos cannot curl into a ball. They have too many bony plates. But if escape is not possible, the armadillo will curl up as best it can to protect its soft, pinkish underbelly.
Armadillos spend most waking hours with their highly- sensitive noses pressed to the ground, pushing up leaf litter in search of insects and other invertebrates.
Armadillos use their sensitive nose to search for prey.
Those strong claws are adept at digging up tasty prey, which are snatched up by the sticky tongue.
Arthropods, especially ground beetles and ants, make up the
majority of their diet, but armadillos are opportunistic.
Patent-leather beetles are favorite prey.
They have been known to eat berries, reptiles, amphibians, bird eggs, carrion and even young rabbits. Many homeowners complain of the holes left behind by a foraging armadillo: it is the price we pay to coexist with this intriguing mammal.
Armadillos are fond of water and are surprisingly good swimmers. They can dog paddle and even float by gulping air and inflating their intestines. They can also hold their breath for up to 6 minutes and sometimes choose to simply walk across the bottom of small streams.
If you’ve seen an armadillo in the park, share your story in the comments below. And if you haven’t, I hope you will be lucky enough to see one of these fascinating mammals for yourself someday!
-Kim Bailey, naturalist
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