The Nine-banded Armadillo is North America's only native armadillo and is covered in a jointed bony shell of dermal plates. It always gives birth to identical quadruplets formed from a single fertilized egg. Armadillos can hold their breath for up to six minutes and often walk across riverbeds rather than swim to cross water.
Best time to see a Nine-banded Armadillo
The best time to see a Nine-banded Armadillo is February–August, when about 66% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 961 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Nine-banded Armadillo sightings near you
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