General: Nine-banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) are odd, armored mammals that use their stout, armored snout to root in the dirt and among leaves for food while their dorsal scutes protect them from predators. Their eyesight is not great, permitting careful humans to sneak up on them, but they have good ears and a good nose. If a potential predator scares one, they jump vertically into the air, startling the predator, then hit the ground running at full speed, which is surprisingly fast for such a short-legged creature.

Taxonomy: Class: Mammalia, Order: Cingulata, Family: Dasypodidae.

Where to Find: Don't look for Armadillos around Las Vegas. Rather, look for them in the southern US and south into South America.