The sun beats down with vengeance upon the golden grasses and small trees and shrubs of the sprawling plain.  The grassland appears empty, but further observation reveals that several small holes cover the plain, possibly belonging to snakes or some other terrible creature.  The immense heat of the late afternoon sun commands attention, until suddenly, movement can be seen.  Emerging from one of the holes, the terrible beast lumbers, ready to…oh wait, it is just an armadillo.

The armadillo has the appearance of a mouse crossed with a turtle, and the black/light-yellow rings on its shell allow the armadillo to move in and out of sight.  The grass colored-scales continue onto the armadillo’s forehead and face, behind its proportionally large ears, and all the way to the tip of its tail.  This two-and-a-half foot long nine-band species of armadillo is native to the Texan grasslands in the Southwestern United States (Texas Parks and Wildlife).

The armadillo has just awakened from its long 16 hour sleep and is travelling out of its burrow to search for its twice-daily snack (National Geographic).  The armadillo will use its large claws and formidable digging skills to find tasty bugs including ants and termites, and even the occasional vertebrate and fruit.  Though the armadillo has poor eyesight, it will use its spectacular sense of smell to detect prey, and then it will dig to capture its prey, possibly utilizing its sticky tongue to capture the insect.

Facing loss of habitat and over hunting, the armadillo has encountered recent challenges to its survival.  Armadillo meat is a delicacy throughout the Americas, and only one population of armadillos is on the rise, that of the nine-band.  Though poaching is an extreme threat, natural occurrences also pose threats.  Armadillos have slow metabolisms and meager fat stores, so cold weather can kill entire populations of armadillos.  Natural predators include wolves, bobcats, and hawks (What Eats?).

The armadillo walks along the ground, sniffing constantly in an attempt to locate predators.  Suddenly, it stops, poking its nose up into the air.  Quickly, with surprising speed, the armadillo scurries into its hole, narrowly escaping the racing coyote.  Luckily the armadillo has evaded extinction this time, but perhaps the next time it meets a human, it will not be so lucky.