One of the 5 armadillos on WAnimals
Mammals · Cingulata · Chlamyphoridae
Priodontes maximus
At high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term.
It is by far the largest armadillo in the world, and acts as a keystone ecosystem engineer: more than 70 species have been recorded using its abandoned burrows.
Weight
18 kg – 54 kg
Size
75 cm – 1.5 m
Life expectancy
13 years
Diet
Insectivore
Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
AI-generated images: illustrations, not photographs.
Sources consulted: ResearchGate (potential lifespan wild study); PMC (first recorded birth under human care); Oxford Academic (Mammalian Species); Animal Diversity Web; Encyclopedia of Life; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info)
The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 10 of 18.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Giant Armadillo — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The giant armadillo is classified as vulnerable. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 10 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about giant armadillo.
Share an experience, a fun fact or a tip for seeing the giant armadillo.
Be the first to comment.
