Happy Thought for 1 March 2024

Have a Happy Thought: 

Sometimes, all you need is to learn about a weird but adorable creature. This is one of those times. Since I’ve already introduced you to wombats, may I now introduce you to…


The pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncates).

Image from Attis1979 on Flickr

 Yes, this is a real creature! It’s native to sandy grasslands in central Argentina, and can grow up to 13cm in length (for reference, I have small hands and my hand is 17 cm from the heel to the tip of my middle finger) – so a real palm pal!

Image: Researcher Mariella Superina holds a pink fairy armadillo. PAUL VOGT, M. SUPERINA

If you know things about armadillos, you will know that they are often defined or identified by the number of bands, or overlapping ‘plates of armour’ on their backs. For example, it’s the three-banded armadillos that can roll up into little balls, but the nine-banded armadillos can have anywhere from 7 to 11 bands.

The tiny, pink fairy armadillo, meanwhile, have 24 bands – just knocking everyone else out of the park!

What else could I tell you about these adorable creatures? Not too much, actually – this whole university page about them is basically the ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ symbol: “not much is known” about their lifespan, mating habits, reproduction, behaviour, communication, food habits, ecosystem roles… you get the picture.

So if anyone is looking for a biology grad school project, or maybe you’re a filmmaker – maybe these could be the next Meerkat Manor!

 

Your bonus link, shared because I saw it while I was researching for this and if I saw this you have to (get to?) see this, too:

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/armadillo-poop-everything-youve-ever-wanted-to-know/

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