the nine-banded armadillo
October 13, 2005In order to cross a body of water, an armadillo trudges across the bottom if it’s shallow. Otherwise, it fills up its intestines and stomach with air, and then floats across. It takes some time to release this air afterward.
Right away, I have respect for this creature.
So why do so many armadillos wind up as roadkill? The answer may surprise you. An armadillo can’t see very well, and a dangerous object such as a car can be right on one before it is aware. Add to that the animal’s inclination to jump straight up in the air when startled, and you get the picture.
