Meet the pink fairy armadillo
© SCIENCE HISTORY IMAGES/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
It’s the smallest armadillo species in the world, and arguably the cutest. About the size of a dollar bill, the pink fairy armadillo is a nocturnal creature from central Argentina. It isn’t actually a fairy, but it may be just as hard to study: It spends most of its life underground, and sightings in the wild are so rare that one armadillo researcher worked in its habitat for 13 years without ever coming across one. As a result, scientists know little about its population size or trends.
Pink fairy armadillo
Chlamyphorus truncatus
RANGE Central Argentina
SIZE Up to six inches
DIET Omnivorous (primarily invertebrates like ants; also plants)
HABITAT Desert, shrubland
© SCIENCE HISTORY IMAGES/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
1. Carapace
This thin, flexible shell isn’t primarily for protection, but for temperature regulation. It contains blood vessels that empty or fill to control the animal’s body temperature—and give it its rosy hue.
2. Feet
The armadillo has relatively large feet, with outsize front claws that are ideal for burrowing. Using these, it can bury itself in seconds.
3. Fur
If its soft, white fur gets wet, the armadillo can have a hard time regulating its body temperature.
4. Tail
A tail and butt plate help with balance and prevent the armadillo’s tunnels from collapsing around it.
All by myself
When pink fairy armadillos are seen in the wild, they are usually alone, leading scientists to believe they are solitary creatures.
Homebody
Removing a pink fairy armadillo from its home almost always proves fatal to the animal. Roughly 95% die within eight days of being taken from their habitat. Because they are so elusive, researchers must draw conclusions about behavior from the few that do survive in captivity.
© Tim Flach Photography
Explore more
Keep reading this issue of World Wildlife magazine
