Spiny armadillo at Herberstein Wildlife Park

Almost impossible to crack!

Round armadillos are mostly solitary savanna dwellers that feed primarily on ants and termites. Using the powerful claws on their front legs, they break open termite mounds or dig through rotten wood and soil to find their food.

When danger threatens, armadillos curl up into a ball in a flash and are well protected by their bony armor and horny scales. The only predator that can break through this ball is the jaguar. Curling up also prevents them from getting too cold in colder temperatures.

Did you know?

Armadillos, along with anteaters and sloths, belong to a phylogenetically very ancient group of animals—the synapsids (so named for their additional vertebral processes).