Baby Armadillo Born at Minnesota Zoo

APPLE VALLEY, Minn. - The Minnesota Zoo on Tuesday announced the birth of its first three-banded armadillo.

The baby armadillo, born Feb. 19, should be available for public viewing this summer.

The armadillo is reportedly the third born in a United States zoo this year. The Minnesota Zoo started exhibiting armadillos in 2005 as part of its “Creatures Beneath the Canopy" exhibit.

Armadillo Facts

-Armadillos are solitary mammals found in the dry forests/savannas of Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay,
and Argentina.

-After a gestation period of just 104-124 days, three-banded armadillos produce just one
offspring that is pink in color and a miniature version of the adult – about the size of a golf ball!

-Infants can walk and close their shells within hours of birth; eyes open at 3-4 weeks

-Adult armadillos are approximately 12 inches long, brown in color, and weigh about 3 pounds

-Only the three-banded armadillo can completely enclose itself by rolling into a ball.

-The three-banded armadillo runs with a peculiar gait and has a very effective defense mechanism: it is able to snap its shell together like a steel trap.

-Armadillos eat ants and termites that they get by probing in the ground, under bark, and into
nests. They can detect the scent of a worm to a depth of 20 cm underground.