Whether you encounter a rare sighting out in the wild or see one belly up on the side of the road, this truly unique creature has been adopted by Texans as the mascot of the Lone Star State – the armadillo was officially named the Texas State Small Mammal in 1995. You’re more likely to be infected by traveling to another country and contracting it from an infected person. Texas designated the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) as official.
Armadillos have been known in the past to carry the disease however, it is highly unlikely to be transmitted to humans. High resolution giclee print mounted on cradled birch plywood panel, 12 x 12. The purpose is intended to prohibit armadillo races, block the conversion of hard hats made from the shell and leprosy. In the interest of health, a law was passed in Texas prohibiting the sale of live armadillos. Though they seem to be slow and lazy, armadillos are quite fast and can also hold their breath underwater for up to six minutes. Distant relatives to the sloth, armadillos sleep 16-18 hours a day. With its keen sense of smell and thick sharp claws, armadillos can dig up insects, grubs and worms. Females almost always give birth to four identical young all of the same sex. They are the only living mammal to wear such a shell. Armadillos are covered in spiny plates that create their armor. While most people think they can roll up into a ball, they actually cannot. The nine-banded armadillo is quite the interesting creature.
Though armadillo numbers are increasing for roadkill population, sightings in the wild – while rare – are fascinating. Additionally, armadillos have some of the poorest eyesight and hearing. That leap often puts an armadillo at just the right height to be hit by the bumper or underside of a passing vehicle. Unfortunately, this makes an approaching car deadly. This defense mechanism typically scares predators giving the armadillo time to run away. When an armadillo is threatened by approaching danger, it will leap into the air. Why is that? Their common trait that is used as self-defense in the wild turns out to be deadly behavior when entering the human environment. If you ask a Texan if they have ever seen an armadillo, the most common response is “Alive?” Typically, these armor-plated species are found belly up on the side of the road and very rarely seen alive in the wild. Why did the chicken cross the road? To show the armadillo it can be done.
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