Baby Armadillo at Witter Wildlife Refuge Photo by James Orr

We recently acquired a baby armadillo orphan here at the Wildlife Refuge.  I have heard that armadillos can carry and transmit leprosy so the rubber gloves came out and kisses were crossed off the list of tender loving care we would offer.

Having done some research it is actually quite rare for an armadillo to give a human leprosy.  First of all only a very small percentage of them carry the disease.  In most of the documented cases that a human contracted Leprosy from an armadillo it was the result of eating undercooked armadillo meat. 

Tasting like fine pork, Armadillo meat has been a staple to the poor.  During the Great Depression the nick name “Hoover Hog” was a cynical way to mock President Hoovers promise to put a turkey in ever pot.  Armadillos have also been called “possum on the half shell” and “Texas Turkeys”.

Getting away from fine dining and back to Leprosy, The surface of the Armadillo’s paws maintain a constant temperature of 20 degrees Celsius which is ideal for the growth of Mycobacterium leprae (leprosy bacteria) which can be transmitted by its sharp claws when defending itself.

The armadillo is in the same family as the sloth and anteater.  They are found primarily in warm climates as they do not hibernate and have a difficult time surviving more than a few days in a row of below freezing weather without shelter.  They are common in Arkansas apparently hiding out underground when cold weather hits.

The word Armadillo means “little armored one” from the Spanish word armada.  Like anteaters Armadillos have sticky saliva that allow it to easily capture insects.  It has an amazing sense of smell allowing it to locate insects up to six inches below ground.  They eat grubs, beetles, ants, worms, snails, and even fire ants which are unable to bite through it’s skin or shell.  Their hearing is also very good but they have very poor eyesight.  Maybe that’s a blessing when it comes to mating time.

Armadillos mate in the Fall but the pregnancy can be delayed for up to 3 months.  They perform a type of natural cloning giving birth to four identical babies all of the same sex.  Theses perfectly identical quadruplets come from one egg that splits twice into four quarters after fertilization. 

They are nocturnal in summer months but are often diurnal in winter to take advantage of the warmer day time temperatures.

Armadillos sleep an average of 18.5 hours per day and have a very low oxygen requirement allowing them to stop breathing for up to six minutes by utilizing air stored in thier trachea and wide bronchus.  This proves useful when burrowing underground or walking underwater.  They love water and are kind of like living submarines.   They can swim on the surface or walk on the bottom by changing their buoyancy.

You can tell if an armadillo has been foraging in your yard when you spot small cone shaped holes.  They are good for gardens in that they eat detrimental grubs and snails but can mess up the garden rooting for their diner.  If you want to keep armadillos out of a specific area you can sprinkle some red pepper on the ground which is very unpleasant to their highly sensitive nose.

Armadillos can live up to fifteen years if they eat right and stay away from highways.  Unfortunately they are one of the most widely killed animals by automobiles.  Ironically few of those killed by cars are actually dealt the death blow by car tires.  When they feel threatened they leap into the air to intimidate the perceived threat.  This does not work well with cars.

DONATIONS NEEDED If you would like to help any donation amount  it is greatly appreciated.  Donations should be made out to Witter Wildlife Refuge and can be sent to P.O. Box 1118, Huntsville AR 72740.

See web page under "HOW YOU CAN HELP" for specific ways you can help us help wildlife