The Nine-Banded Armadillo
The Nine-Banded Armadillo looks like it could have just strolled off the set of Land of the Lost. This prehistoric looking little mammal, the more common of two species of armadillo found in Costa Rica, has awful eyesight, and has even been known to bump into stationary objects at times. But this occasionally embarrassing sensory limitation is offset by several notable advantages that have helped it thrive and expand its range throughout the Americas. A female reproduces with scientific consistency, being the only known animal that delivers 4 genetically identical babies each and every time it gives birth. Its travels are not limited by barriers like waterways, since it can sink itself under the surface and then run across a riverbed while holding its breath. Or if it prefers, it can inflate its intestines at will and float merrily across. And predators are often thwarted in their hunting attempts, because although this particular species can’t roll up into an impenetrable ball like other armadillos, it can jump 4 feet in the air before darting off erratically into the undergrowth, leaving behind a befuddled attacker wondering how in the world something that looks like a tortoise just ran off like a hare.
Photo by Rich Anderson
© 2024 by Harmony Blog