FRANK THE TANK came to us in 2014 from another animal sanctuary here in California, (as they had too many armadillos). They are also known as a yellow armadillo and live in South America. He is 9½ years old, and a consummate bachelor – armadillo males prefer the single life – perhaps you can recommend a dating app! Frank loves to dig a shallow hole and flip upside down in it and cover himself up with dirt and take a nap – it looks really funny to see just his legs and tail sticking up out of the ground!
ORDER: CINGULATA
FAMILY: CHLAMYPHORIDAU
GENUS: EUPHRATES
SPECIES: SEXCINCTUS
Most active during daylight hours, (diurnal), they eat plant matter and protein, especially insects, (insectivores/omnivores), they have the superpower of being soil aerators and natural architects. They create homes for other species in their biomes, by abandoning old chambers and creating new ones wherever they go. They have extremely poor vision but an excellent sense of smell to detect prey and predators. They are polygamists (More than 1 mate). They are anti-social preferring company only during breeding. They reproduce year-round, are pregnant 64 days, normally producing 1 to 3 babies at a time. A baby is called a “pup”. They sexually mature at 9 months of age.
Threats
Farmers hunt and trap them. The meat is usually thrown away due to the possibility of contracting Leprosy or Hepatitis.
Conservation Status
LC - Least Concern