No Missouri mammal even comes close to resembling this one. Only the tiniest gaps between the rigid plates of skin that cover nearly the whole body are hairy. It has soft, velvety skin. Two large plates are held together by nine smaller bands or girdles that can be tightened or loosened as needed. The entire body, down to the short limbs, tail, and head, is covered with plates. Every single one of the toes is equipped with a lethal claw. The majority of the color palette consists of various brown and yellowish-white tones.
Armadillos have a protective shell that is essentially a toughened-up version of their skin. As a kind of self-defense, armadillos often run away, dig, or crush their bodies into the ground. Only the three-banded armadillo can roll into a ball for protection, and its distinctive teardrop-shaped skull plate entirely shuts the opening.
Threats to armadillos come from humans, domesticated dogs, wild cats, birds, and other animals. They may form a tight group when feeling threatened. Because of their scale-like shape, they are nearly impossible to open with bare hands. A group of individuals shot at an armadillo, but it just bounced back each time.
To stay afloat, armadillos need to regularly take a breath of air, even though they are good swimmers due to their light yet thick skin. Occasionally, they can hold their breath for up to six minutes, allowing them to cross the bottom of a lake or river on foot. If you get rid of the trash and overgrown plants around your house, the armadillos will avoid the area. Brushy places, however, are frequently surprisingly fruitful habitats for songbirds and other species.
When threatened, armadillos would typically seek refuge in their burrows or amongst nearby foliage, where they will be protected by their armor and discouraged from further pursuit. When frightened, certain individuals of some species have been seen to launch themselves upwards of four feet in the air. Because armadillos rely on soil-dwelling insects for food, an absence of these insects forces the armadillos to seek them elsewhere. Attempting to rid the soil and plants of all insects, worms, and grubs would be difficult and could be detrimental to native plants and other life.
Source:
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/are-any-animals-bulletproof/
Content created and supplied by: Koiwangui (via Opera News )
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