The Brazilian three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus), also known locally as tatu-bola, is a unique and threatened species endemic to northeastern Brazil. This article will delve into the specifics of its diet, habitat, and the conservation challenges it faces.
Taxonomy and Physical Characteristics
The Brazilian three-banded armadillo belongs to:
- Order: Cingulata
- Family: Chlamyphoridae
- Subfamily: Tolypeutinae
This armadillo has a head-body length of 23-25 cm and typically weighs between 1 and 1.8 kg. A distinctive feature is its dome-shaped, sandy yellow to brown carapace, which is rigid and has 2 to 4 movable bands. The tail and head shield are triangular in shape. One of the most remarkable characteristics of this armadillo is its ability to roll up into a perfect ball when threatened, a trait shared only with the southern three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus). When the animal rolls up, the head and tail shields fit flush with the surrounding carapace to form a perfect ball. The species has five clawed toes on the forefeet, with the third claw being the largest.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
The Brazilian three-banded armadillo is primarily an insectivorous species. Its diet mainly consists of:
- Ants
- Termites
- Beetles
- Other insects
However, they may also ingest some plant material. They have a long and tapered snout used to project their tongues in and out in order to forage for insects. Insects are captured by digging up underground nests and/or tearing the bark off of rotting trees and turning over rotting leaf piles. Like most insect eating mammals, their tongues are very long and sticky to slurp up insects quickly. A three-banded armadillo uses its long, sharp front claws to dig into termite mounds to feast on the insects inside. Their claws also allow them to build nests or dig shallow dens in the vegetation, but some individuals prefer to use those abandoned by anteaters instead of digging their own.
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They use their well-developed sense of hearing and smell to detect both predators and prey. They can smell worms up to eight inches below the surface.
This species finds food by shuffling slowly along with its nose to the ground. When it detects prey, it frantically digs a hole and thrust its nose into it, using its long, sticky tongue to lap up any insects it may find.
Habitat and Distribution
This species is endemic to northeastern Brazil. It mainly occurs in Caatinga habitat (dry thorn scrub of north-eastern Brazil), but it is also found in the eastern parts of Cerrado habitat (bush savanna in central Brazil). The Brazilian three-banded armadillo lives primarily in open savannahs (Cerrado) and dry woodlands (Caatinga), where low rainfall and poor soil limit the vegetation to tall, woody grasses, scattered bushes, and gnarled trees.
The range of La Plata three-banded armadillos includes parts of Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. They live in open, grassy areas, open forests and marshes.
This armadillo has a patchy distribution; population densities may be relatively high within certain patches, except in areas where the species is exposed to human pressure. Population density has been estimated at 1.2 animals per km² in the Cerrado, but is expected to be considerably lower in areas with hunting pressure. In a study near Jaborandi (Bahia), the mean home range was estimated at 122 hectares, with adult males having significantly larger home ranges (238 hectares) than females. The home ranges of males and females, as well as of adult males of varying age, may overlap.
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Behavior and Lifestyle
Three-banded armadillos are primarily solitary animals, but they have been observed gathering in groups of up to 12 individuals, particularly in very cold weather. They also come together to breed.
Three-banded armadillos are blackish-brown in color and are relatively small compared to other armadillo species. They are named for the three bands across the mid-section of their back armor. Their short, thick tails and elongated heads are also covered in armor. Like human fingerprints, the pattern of armor plates on the head is unique to each individual.
They also tend to sleep in undergrowth and buses rather than digging their own burrows. This is partially due to the fact that they do not need to use shelter to protect their softer parts thanks to their shell. Instead of burrowing like other armadillos, the Southern three-banded armadillo will use an anteater’s burrow after they abandon it.
Due to their nocturnal nature, three-banded armadillos have poor eyesight but a keen sense of smell, which helps them locate food.
When they are not foraging, they move with a sort of trot, bouncing on the tips of their front toes, while their hind feet slap flatly on the ground. They mark their territories with secretions from glands on their face, feet, and rump.
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Reproduction and Development
The Brazilian three-banded armadillo produces one, rarely two, young per litter. The mating season lasts from October to January, during which there is a brief courtship before mating. After a 120-day gestation period, females give birth to only one young that is about the size of a golf ball. After a gestation of about four months, females give birth to a single baby between November and January.
Babies are born blind but quickly develop the ability to walk and close their shells. The newborn’s armor is soft, but its claws are fully developed, and it can walk and roll into a ball within hours of birth. Young armadillos nurse for about two and a half months and are sexually mature between 9 and 12 months of age. The armor hardens by the third or fourth week, around the same time the eyes and earflaps open.
The male's penis is one of the longest among mammals, extending two-thirds of the body length in some species. This may be necessary to extend past the carapace to the female's vaginal opening.
Conservation Status and Threats
Tolypeutes tricinctus is listed as Vulnerable under criterion A2cd because of a population decline-estimated to be more than 30% over the last 10-15 years-inferred from ongoing exploitation and habitat loss and degradation. However, a recent reassessment at the national level in Brazil categorized this species as Endangered under criterion A2cd. I.U.C.N. Species are classified into one of nine Red List Categories: Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern, Data Deficient and Not Evaluated. Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered species are considered to be threatened with extinction. As of 2013, three-banded armadillos have been listed as near threatened.
Tolypeutes tricinctus is threatened by heavy hunting pressure and habitat loss. In the Caatinga, the remaining populations are practically isolated in protected areas and are subjected to subsistence hunting. In the Cerrado, the main populations live outside protected areas and are especially threatened by conversion of their natural habitat to sugar cane and soybean plantations. Significant habitat loss has been recorded in its range, especially in the Cerrado.
Due to its tendency to ball up when threatened, this species is frequently collected for food, which has resulted in significant population declines across its range. While their defense mechanism of curling into a ball is suitable for protection from natural predators, this makes them particularly susceptible to hunters and poachers, who can simply reach down and pick up the animals. Along with being hunted for their shells and meat, armadillos are also captured for the illegal pet trade.
Loss of habitat has been substantial throughout the range of La Plata three-banded armadillos; however, this species is capable of adapting to minor modifications to its habitat. Deforestation is often caused to make more land for livestock.
They experience high morbidity during transit, making collection for the pet trade an even greater threat to their survival.
Tolypeutes tricinctus was believed to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1988 in a handful of scattered localities. It has probably disappeared over much of its range, but it is difficult to survey its populations.
Adult pumas and jaguars are the only South American mammals powerful enough to be a natural threat. The real danger to armadillos is the destruction of their habitats to make room for livestock.
Conservation Efforts and How You Can Help
Several conservation efforts are underway to protect the Brazilian three-banded armadillo. The Caatinga Association, a Brazilian environmental NGO, launched in January 2012 a national campaign proposing the three-banded armadillo to become mascot of the 2014 FIFA World Cup hosted by Brazil. In March 2012, the Brazilian weekly, Veja, reported the three-banded armadillo would be the official mascot for the FIFA World Cup.
Here are some ways YOU can help keep armadillos healthy and safe:
- It is best to observe them from a distance and in silence.
- Our pets could attack them. It is important to keep your dog on a leash when you go for a walk, or keep your pets at home in an enclosed and safe area. In addition, taking care of our pets also means spaying and neutering them so that they do not breed without control.
- Another way to help protect the areas where armadillos live is by not starting fires.
- Armadillos love to live in nature, keeping them as pets is not good for them. Keep in mind that they don’t like selfies either.
- If you find an injured armadillo, contact a wildlife hospital so they can help it.
- Practice ecotourism by being an advocate for the environment when you’re on vacation. During your travels, support, visit or volunteer with organizations that protect wildlife.
- Shop smart too! Choose your pets wisely, and do your research before bringing an animal home. Exotic animals don’t always make great pets. Many require special care and live for a long time. Tropical reptiles and small mammals are often traded internationally and may be victims of the illegal pet trade. Never remove an animal from the wild! Removing them from their natural environment can be detrimental to the wild populations. And while you may think they are cute, armadillos would NOT make a good pet. They have a lot of special requirements including proper nutrients, space, heating, lighting, humidity, etc.
- Less is more. Cut down on the demand for resources by consuming less.
- One way you can help is by buying sustainable products. Products such as chocolate and coffee that come from the rainforest can be harvested in a more sustainable way. By purchasing products from certified organizations such as Bird Friendly, you are helping in the conservation of forests and habitats around the world!
- Another way you can help is by limiting the amount of waste you accumulate. See if you can reuse something before you throw it away. If we all do this, the demand for resources found in the rainforest may decrease, helping to preserve the sloths’ one and only home.
- You can be part of the solution by purchasing locally sourced produce to avoid contributing to armadillo habitat loss to crop conversion.