Giant Armadillo Illustration © Bruce Pearson

Giant Armadillo Priodontes maximus

All armadillo's have a distinctive tough carapace made from bony plates, overlaid by horny skin. It has 11-13 of these plates protecting its upper body, and a further 3-4 on the neck. The Giant Armadillo is the largest of the 20 armadillo species and can grow to 1.2 m in total length. They generally emerge in the evening to forage for food, and to make burrows for shelter.

Giant Armadillos are found mostly in undisturbed savannah or forest, usually close to water, from northern Venezuela to Paraguay and northern Argentina. The main threat to Giant Armadillos is over hunting for food and habitat destruction caused by rapidly spreading agriculture. It is estimated that approximately 50% of their former population has been lost in the last 10 years.

The Giant Armadillo is classified as Vulnerable by IUCN (See IUCN Red List of Threatened Species for more information on the classification of the Giant Armadillo).

Help Protect the Giant Armadillo and Other Wildlife in Paraguay

The World Land Trust's project in the Chaco/Pantanal of Paraguay protects the habitat of Giant Armadillos, and other threatened wildlife. Please help protect this area by supporting the Paraguay Chaco/Pantantal Project.

More Information about Giant Armadillos and Their Habitat

• Read more about WLT's work in Paraguay
• Read more about WLT's work in Brazil
• Find more information on the Giant Armadillo on ARKive: Images of life on Earth