The armadillo is a mysterious armored beast. Giant armadillo: description of the animal, habitat Conservation in nature

The armadillo is one of the most ancient and unusual animals on the planet. In their homeland, representatives of this family are called amadillos or “pocket dinosaurs.” It is believed that the first armadillos appeared on Earth 55 million years ago. Unlike many other representatives of the fauna, these animals managed to survive for such a long time mainly due to the presence of a shell. The largest representative of this family is Priodontes maximus - a giant armadillo.

Habitat

In the wild, this species of armadillo lives only in South America. You can meet these unusual, spectacular “mini-dinosaurs” from Venezuela in the south to Paraguay in the north. The giant armadillo is an animal whose habitat is thus quite extensive. Amadillos live in this area mainly only in wooded areas. The territorial range of one animal is usually 1-3 sq. km. Such armadillos lead a solitary lifestyle.

Description of the animal

The appearance of giant armadillos is truly impressive. The body length of an adult can reach 75-100 cm. The weight of the animal often exceeds 30 kg. That is, in size, Priodontes maximus resembles a 4-6 month old piglet. In captivity, the weight of this type of armadillo can reach 60 kg.

The entire body - sides, tail, head, back - of this southern animal is covered with small horny scutes connected to each other by elastic tissue. Thanks to this, the Amadilla's armor is flexible. The color of the giant armadillo's shell is dark brown. In any case, the belly of Priodontes maximus is always lighter than the back.

The giant armadillo's snout is tube-shaped. The animal's teeth are directed backwards. The amadilla has large claws on its paws. The tongue of this armadillo, like most other members of the family, is long and sticky. The animal easily “picks up” even the most nimble insects with it.

Animal diet

Despite its terrifying appearance, the giant armadillo is not a dangerous predator. In the wild, it feeds mainly on termites, worms and various kinds of crawling and flying insects. The sharp long claws of Priodontes maximus are needed not for attack, but for destroying anthills and digging holes.

An interesting feature of the giant armadillo is that, despite its massiveness, this animal can easily stand on its hind legs. If necessary, thus, Priodontes maximus freely reaches the top of the largest termite mound.

How do they reproduce?

They meet with relatives of Priodontes maximus only when they want to have offspring. Sexual maturity in these animals occurs at the age of about one year. Pregnancy in female giant armadillos does not last too long - about 4 months. There are most often one or two cubs in a litter. Only the mother takes part in their upbringing. The female feeds the cubs with milk for about six months. Then the babies begin an independent life.

Economic value

In most areas of South America, amadilla is not liked and is considered a pest of fields. The habitat of the giant armadillo is vast, and it “intersects” with people quite rarely. However, sometimes these animals still raid crops. They, of course, do not eat plants, but they organize “pogroms”, tearing up the ground in search of insects. Also, amadillos, roaming the field, crush the plantings, sometimes causing significant damage.

The “pocket dinosaur” has no special economic value. Indians, for example, never eat armadillo meat (due to its pronounced musky taste). But some Europeans consider this product quite tasty and reminiscent of pork. Therefore, armadillos are not only exterminated by farmers, but also caught by lovers of delicacies. This animal is not an endangered species. However, today it is considered rare.

Extinct giant armadillos

Priodontes maximus is by far the largest representative of the family, as already mentioned. However, in prehistoric times, much larger armadillos, of course, also lived on Earth. For example, in the south of North America (10-11 thousand years ago), glyptodons and doedicurus lived relatively recently, outwardly very similar to modern Priodontes maximus, but having a much larger size. Archaeologists find their remains quite often. The body length of these monsters could reach 3-4 meters.

Giant armadillo

Giant armadillo, covered with hard horny scutes, looks more like a large reptile in a shell than a mammal. This is the largest representative of the armadillo family. The body length of the animal is 75-100 cm, the tail is 50 cm. Weight: 50-60 kg.

At night, the giant armadillo wakes up briefly and goes out in search of food. He looks for large termite mounds and anthills in the savannah. The armadillo finds food using its sense of smell. Sensing ants or termites underground, he begins to frantically dig in this place. Throwing away the earth with strong claws, it rests its shell against the upper part of the tunnel, which is formed as a result of digging. Having reached the anthill, the giant armadillo begins its feast, capturing the ants with its long sticky tongue. The giant armadillo breaks termite mounds by leaning on them with his whole body.

Armored- the only ones among modern mammals whose body is densely covered with a bony shell with horny plates. The armadillo's shell is an effective means of protection against enemy attacks. The carapace consists of thick horny scutes that completely cover the back of the animal. Pink-gray or brown scutes stretch from the neck to the tail. They are connected to each other by elastic ligaments, which allow the armadillo to arch its back and provide it with greater mobility. The giant armadillo is not capable of curling into a ball. It is saved from predators by its large size and huge powerful claws. In case of danger, the giant armadillo flees, and it can run faster than a person.

The giant armadillo lives in South America. In cold areas located south of Northern Argentina, bounded on the other side by the Andes, it no longer occurs. The species occupies a large range. Shy armadillos inhabit the dense bushy undergrowth of the jungle. During the day, they sleep in underground burrows that reach two meters in length, which they dig themselves, and come to the surface only after dark. The armadillo's hole has such a hole that a person can crawl into it.

There is little information about the mating behavior of armadillos. These animals still do not breed in captivity. It is known that the development of armadillos has a latent stage. All giant armadillo babies develop from a single fertilized egg and are twins. Cubs are always the same sex and carry the same set of genes. The soft skin of a newborn soon turns into a hard shell.

Interesting Facts

Baby giant armadillos have more than 100 teeth. However, they lose most of them before reaching puberty. The giant armadillo is able to hold its breath for up to six minutes because it has a fairly large lung capacity. This feature becomes useful to him when he digs a tunnel - thanks to this, grains of sand do not get into his nose. To destroy a termite mound, the armadillo stands on its hind legs, leans on its tail, and breaks the walls of the insects' home with the huge claws of its front paws. The English call the armadillo by the Spanish phrase "one that wears armor" because the animal wears a menacing shell. In fact, the armadillo is a shy animal that feeds on ants and termites.

In many places, giant armadillos became extinct because they were hunted for their meat and exterminated as pests. Today they live in national parks and wildlife reserves of Peru, Brazil, Suriname and Colombia..jpg">

Giant armadillo (lat. Priodontes maximus) managed to become a record holder in several areas at once. Not only is it considered the largest representative of the family, but it also has about a hundred teeth. And this, by the way, is the largest number among all known land mammals. In addition, its 20 cm claws are considered one of the largest in the world.

Giant armadillos are found in South America. Their range starts from the southern part of Venezuela, passes through the entire Amazonian lowland, reaching Paraguay and northern Argentina.

The body length of the giant armadillo reaches 75-100 cm, and its weight can exceed 30 kg. In captivity, there is a known case when the weight of an animal exceeded 60 kilos, but this, of course, is rather an exception to the rule. The body of the armadillo, including the half-meter tail, is covered with a very mobile shell, divided into numerous segments. On the back and sides there are thick horny shields connected to each other by very elastic fabric, which gives the armor mobility. The color of the shell is most often brown, and the belly is noticeably lighter.

The muzzle is tube-shaped, the teeth are directed back, the tongue is long and sticky. With its help, the giant armadillo hunts its favorite delicacy - termites. If such a delicacy finds a termite mound, the insects will have a hard time: the animal will completely destroy the nest and eat most of its inhabitants. Then, right at the place of the meal, he will dig a hole for himself and settle there.

True, not for long: the site of one giant armadillo occupies an area of ​​​​one to three kilometers square. Therefore, it’s only a matter of time before the beast goes in search of its next meal. It is interesting that even the decent height of their termite mound will not help the unfortunate termites - the animal knows how to stand on its hind legs, so it can easily reach its top. If there are no termite mounds nearby, the animal is quite content with ants, worms, spiders and carrion.

Giant armadillos are active at night and lead a solitary lifestyle. They meet with relatives only during the breeding season. Pregnancy lasts about four months and ends with the birth of one or two cubs. Caring for them falls on the shoulders of the mother, since the father does not take part in raising the offspring.

Lactation lasts 4-6 months and at six months the babies begin to live independently. They will become capable of procreation at the age of nine to twelve months. The lifespan of giant armadillos is 12-15 years. With such a decent size, they have very few enemies. Unless a puma or jaguar might try to attack an adult animal. The cubs are preyed upon by coyotes, dogs and other predators.

Well, the most trouble that comes to giant armadillos is people who exterminate them for meat that tastes like pork. These animals are considered agricultural pests as they occasionally raid fields. At the same time, they do not eat plants, but look for suitable prey, tearing up the ground and trampling down plantings. Unfortunately, there are not many giant armadillos left. The IUCN lists them as a vulnerable species.

Family Armadillos- Familia Dasypodidae
Genus giant armadillos- genus priodontes
- Priodontes giganteus Geoffroy, 1803 (= P. maximus) (VI, 183)

There is one species in the genus of giant armadillos: the giant armadillo P. giganteus, which is included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade.

Why is it listed in the Red Book?

The giant armadillo may soon be endangered. The number is declining as a result of hunting and changes in the habitat of animals by humans. In Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Paraguay they are protected by law.

In Brazil, according to 1981 data, it may soon be endangered.

In Suriname in 1982 there was no danger of destruction. In Peru in 1981 their numbers were very low and continued to decline. In Colombia by 1980 and in Paraguay by 1981 they were rare.

In Argentina by 1981 they were endangered. In Venezuela in 1981 they were quite common in places. In Bolivia and Guyana in 1981 they were not rare.

How to find out

The sizes are the largest in the family. Body length up to 100 cm. Tail length about 50 cm. Weight up to 55 kg. The head is oval. The ears are wide. The limbs are five-fingered. The dorsal shell has 11-13 movable belts.

Body hair is sparse. The body color is dark brown, excluding the whitish head, tail and stripe along the lower edge of the dorsal shield. Each half of the jaws has 15-28 small teeth that fall out with age.

Where does it live?

Distributed across much of eastern South America from southeastern Venezuela, southern Colombia, the Amazon in Peru, Guyana through Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay to northeastern Argentina.

Lifestyle and biology

They inhabit dense forests and savannas. Usually found near water. They stay alone. Active at night. They feed on ants, termites, other insects and their larvae, worms, spiders, snakes and carrion. There are 1-2 cubs in a litter. The number is unknown.

3.1 Vulnerable:

Lifestyle

Giant armadillos inhabit humid jungles as well as open grasslands. These are nocturnal animals leading a solitary lifestyle. They meet with relatives only for mating. The area of ​​the site varies from 0.5 to 3 km². During daylight hours, they take refuge in holes dug with their large claws. For protection or in order to reach high-lying structures of insects, they rise on their hind legs, supporting themselves with their tail.

Nutrition

The diet of giant armadillos consists mostly of termites and their larvae. They catch prey using their long, worm-like tongue coated with sticky saliva. After they open the termite nest, they completely destroy it, eating most of the insects and building their own hole in the place of the termite mound. Sometimes they also feed on ants, spiders, worms and carrion.

Reproduction

After about a four-month gestation period, the female gives birth to one, rarely two, cubs. The mother probably takes care of the baby exclusively. At approximately the age of 4 to 6 weeks, the cub is separated from its mother, and at 6 months it becomes independent. At the age of 9 to 12 months it becomes sexually mature. The lifespan of giant armadillos ranges from 12 to 15 years.

Conservation status

Adult giant armadillos have few natural predators, including the jaguar and puma. Today the greatest danger comes from man. The animal is hunted, on the one hand, for its meat, and on the other hand, for raiding fields. However, during raids, animals do not consume plants, but only search for prey. The next factor is the destruction of living space by converting it into arable land and pastures. The IUCN lists the giant armadillo as a vulnerable species.

Photo

Giant armadillo.jpg

Sleeping Giant armadillo.JPG

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Notes

Literature

• Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
• Über das Skelett des Riesengürteltiers im Musem von Laplata (mit Abb.). In: Gaea 34 (1898), S. 701 und Tafel XII.

Excerpt characterizing the Giant Armadillo

“Vous verrez, [You will see.],” said Anna Pavlovna, “that tomorrow, on the sovereign’s birthday, we will receive news.” I have a good feeling.

Anna Pavlovna's premonition really came true. The next day, during a prayer service in the palace on the occasion of the sovereign's birthday, Prince Volkonsky was called from the church and received an envelope from Prince Kutuzov. This was a report from Kutuzov, written on the day of the battle from Tatarinova. Kutuzov wrote that the Russians did not retreat a single step, that the French lost much more than we did, that he was reporting in a hurry from the battlefield, without having yet managed to collect the latest information. Therefore, it was a victory. And immediately, without leaving the temple, gratitude was given to the creator for his help and for the victory.
Anna Pavlovna's premonition was justified, and a joyfully festive mood reigned in the city all morning. Everyone recognized the victory as complete, and some were already talking about the capture of Napoleon himself, his deposition and the election of a new head for France.
Far from business and among the conditions of court life, it is very difficult for events to be reflected in all their fullness and force. Involuntarily, general events are grouped around one particular case. So now the main joy of the courtiers was as much in the fact that we had won as in the fact that the news of this victory fell precisely on the sovereign’s birthday. It was like a successful surprise. Kutuzov’s news also spoke about Russian losses, and Tuchkov, Bagration, and Kutaisov were named among them. Also, the sad side of the event involuntarily in the local St. Petersburg world was grouped around one event - the death of Kutaisov. Everyone knew him, the sovereign loved him, he was young and interesting. On this day everyone met with the words:
- How amazing it happened. At the very prayer service. And what a loss for the Kutais! Oh, what a pity!
– What did I tell you about Kutuzov? - Prince Vasily now spoke with the pride of a prophet. “I always said that he alone is capable of defeating Napoleon.”
But the next day there was no news from the army, and the general voice became alarming. The courtiers suffered for the suffering of the unknown in which the sovereign was.
- What is the position of the sovereign! - said the courtiers and no longer praised him as the day before, but now condemned Kutuzov, who was the cause of the sovereign’s anxiety. On this day, Prince Vasily no longer boasted about his protege Kutuzov, but remained silent when it came to the commander-in-chief. In addition, by the evening of this day, everything seemed to come together in order to plunge the residents of St. Petersburg into alarm and worry: another terrible news was added. Countess Elena Bezukhova died suddenly from this terrible disease, which was so pleasant to pronounce. Officially, in large societies, everyone said that Countess Bezukhova died from a terrible attack of angine pectorale [chest sore throat], but in intimate circles they told details about how le medecin intime de la Reine d "Espagne [the Queen's physician of Spain] prescribed Helen small doses some kind of medicine to produce a certain effect; but how Helen, tormented by the fact that the old count suspected her, and by the fact that the husband to whom she wrote (that unfortunate depraved Pierre) did not answer her, suddenly took a huge dose of the medicine prescribed for her and died in agony before they could give help. They said that Prince Vasily and the old count took on the Italian, but the Italian showed such notes from the unfortunate deceased that he was immediately released.