愛上Armadillo，是住在美國德州的時候，偶然在樹林裏面看見這神奇的小動物，牠受到驚嚇的時候，會全身捲成一個球狀，由於Armadillo有硬殼，所以捲成球狀的時候，非常像一顆球，很奇特。
Dallas小學的自然教育課程，老師會把Armadillo抱到教室，讓學童觀察和撫摸，我看見那幾隻學校養的Armadillo，不會怕生，乖乖的在老師懷裡，真是可愛極了！
住在Alabama的時候，不常看見Armadillo，倒是每次要去亞特蘭大購物，途經一條穿過沼澤的高速公路，會看見Armadillo的屍體，在路肩上。也許Armadillo不懂，為什麼以前想到沼澤的任何地方，都能通行無阻，現在卻必須橫過高速公路。
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Nine-banded Armadillo
Description
Body Length: 15-17 in. Tail: 14-16 in. Weight: 8-17 lbs.
The Nine-banded Armadillo is a cat-sized, armored, insect-eating mammal. Similar in form to an anteater, the bony, scaled shell of the armadillo protects it from attacks by predators. Unfortunately, armadillos often fall victim to automobiles and are frequently found dead on roadsides.
A prolific digger, armadillos dig many burrows, as well as dig for food. Distribution is often determined by soil conditions, since the animal will not survive in areas where the soil is too hard to dig. Many other wildlife species use and benefit from these abandoned burrows.
Although occasionally considered a nuisance by home owners, the armadillo’s habit of digging up lawns is driven by its appetite for grubs, which can also harm lawns.
Life History
Eats insects and other invertebrates. Skilled at digging for grubs. Occasionally eats berries and bird eggs.
Although breeding occurs in July, the embryo remains in a dormant state until November. Four young are born in a burrow in March. All four young, always of the same sex, are identical quadruplets and developed from the same egg. They even share a single placenta while in the womb. Armadillos are the only mammals in which multiple young form from a single egg with any regularity.
Habitat and Distribution
The armadillo is the state mammal of Texas. Originally native to South America, the armadillo now ranges as far north as Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Louisiana. Found in all but the western Trans-Pecos portion of Texas in a variety of habitats; brush, woods, scrub and grasslands.
※附圖為Nine-banded Armadillo照片。
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