Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcictus)

Armadillos are unusual animals. A "shell" covers their small bodies. They are not truly covered by a shell, but by small, 6-sided bony plates all over their body. Small areas of the skin become bony, and soft areas of skin separate the bony areas. These soft areas of skin and the many sided platelets allow armadillos to bend and move freely. Armadillos weigh 4-8 kg (9-17.5 lb), and they are about the size of a small dog. Armadillos are not native to the North American Continent. There are so many Armadillos along the coast and in South Georgia that they seem a natural part of the landscape.

Armadillos spend most of their time digging in the ground for food, mostly insects and larvae. They are almost blind, but they have an excellent sense of smell and hearing. They can smell food below the ground as deep as 20 cm (8 in). Armadillos also dig burrows under the ground. At the ends of the burrows, the armadillos dig out small chambers. The chambers are lined with grass and provide a warm, comfortable home for the armadillos. Armadillos have trouble maintaining their body temperature because they have little hair on their bony skin. Hair is an important form of insulation for all mammals, including us humans. Armadillos stay cool in summer by being active at night, and warm in winter by being active in the daytime.

Armadillos are unusual in many ways. They always give birth to four identical babies, or "quadruplets." Armadillos are strange swimmers. In order to stay afloat, they swallow air and fill up their stomach and intestines like balloons. This allows them to swim well.

Some people have armadillos as outdoor pets. Most armadillos are tame and enjoy being petted. They help reduce pests by eating insects in the land around a house. Some armadillo owners even have armadillo races, where the owners have to crawl behind the armadillos during the race. It is very risky, however, to handle an armadillo. Armadillos have sharp claws, and if they scratch you they can give you a very bad sickness called "Leprosy." Leprosy is a dangerous bacterium that can live on the claws of armadillos. Humans with leprosy may suffer serious skin and tissue damage, and sometimes even their noses rot off.