Giant armadillo is the largest armadillo in the world. Adult giant armadillos measure about 35 inches (90 centimeters) long. The animal’s tail reaches another 20 inches (50 centimeters). Giant armadillos may weigh over 100 pounds (50 kilograms). They have up to 100 teeth, more than almost any other mammal.
Giant armadillos live in the rain forest and grasslands of South America. People rarely see giant armadillos because the animals are mainly active at night and are thinly scattered throughout their range. Giant armadillos sometimes do not leave their burrows for several days. For these reasons, not much is known about them.
Like all armadillos, giant armadillos have a bony, shell-like carapace. The carapace helps protect them against predators. Giant armadillos feed mainly on ants and termites. A giant armadillo rips open ant and termite mounds with its huge foreclaws. The animal then licks up the insects with its sticky tongue. Giant armadillos also use their claws to dig burrows, which they use to hide and sleep.
The female giant armadillo gives birth to one or two young. The young stay inside the burrow until they no longer depend on the mother’s milk for nourishment.
Giant armadillos are in danger of becoming extinct. People hunt them for meat. People also clear rain forest land for farming or other purposes, steadily reducing the animal’s habitat (see Deforestation; Habitat loss). People sometimes capture giant armadillos and sell them illegally to animal collectors.
