Screaming hairy armadillo

The Screaming Hairy Armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus) is a burrowing mammal that belongs to the family of Dasypodidae. It is found in the western regions of Bolivia and northwestern areas of Argentina, especially in Monte Desert. It digs burrows in the desert, preferably in sloping sand dunes and also in savanna, grassland, and even scrub forests. The burrows are about a meter deep and extend to about several meters in length to protect the armadillo from the excessive heat of the sun.

The Screaming Hairy Armadillo has a built-in protective armor just like other armadillos. This is a shell composed of scutes or plates of thin bones. This armor includes the head shield, the shield on the neck's back between its ears, and the carapace protecting its back, shoulders, rump, and sides. Its carapace has a banded part with 6 to 8 bands movable from a total of 18. More hair, however, grows on the Screaming Hairy Armadillo compared to other species of armadillos. These hairs protrude outward from the body armor's scales. The animal's belly and limbs are full of light brown or whitish hairs. Meanwhile, the head and body length of this animal is from 220 to 400 millimeters, and the weight is 84 kilograms on the average. The length of its tail is from 90 to 175 millimeters. Females are usually smaller than males, but both of them become heavier by winter because of accumulated fat.

Interestingly, it is nocturnal during summer to escape the sun's heat. It solely leaves its burrow and searches for food at night. The armadillo is an omnivore, and its diet consists mainly of plants and insects, particularly beetles. In winter, it mainly feeds on vegetation, but in summer, it eats even snakes, rodents, lizards, and some other small vertebrates. It breeds in autumn with a gestation period that may last between 60 and 75 days. It usually produces two litters with both females and males becoming sexually mature after 9 months.

Interesting fact: The Screaming Hairy Armadillo, aside from its screaming hairs, emits a very loud squeal when threatened, hence its name.