Lifeform of the week: Armadillos | Earth | EarthSky
Lifeform of the week: Armadillos
New post from Alex Reshanov. From the pink fairy to the screaming hairy, armadillos are a most peculiar mammal.
The six-banded armadillo and its formidable claws. Image: Whaldener Endo.
I’ve been living in Texas for over six years now and blogging about animals for four of those years. And yet not once have I written about armadillos, a shameful omission which I will remedy today in this latest installment of Lifeform of the Week. Join me, dear reader, as there is much to learn…
For instance, until recently I believed one particular species – the nine-banded armadillo – to be the official state mammal of Texas. But it turns out it’s only the small state mammal. We also have a large state mammal (the Texas Longhorn) and a flying state mammal (the Mexican free-tailed bat). All this state symbol hoarding is a bit greedy, if you ask me. Just pick a mammal, Texas. You can’t have them all. Nevertheless armadillos are an important part of the state’s identity. Charming some with their paradoxical appearance, annoying others with their tendency to dig up lawns, and constantly littering our highways with their adorable armored carcasses.
The pink fairy armadillo seen in its aboveground taxidermied form. Image: Daderot.
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