Is That Real? The Pink Fairy Armadillo

Welcome to a series of short posts in which NatureWire takes at look at some of the lesser-known animals of the world. These are the kinds of creatures you might ask 'Is that real?' if you ever saw them.

First up is this strange-looking specimen. Yes, it's real! Say hello to the pink fairy armadillo. These animals are small, growing up to just 10 cm, and live in burrows which they leave only at night when they forage for ants. They're great at burrowing, and prefer very dry, sandy soil.

They're lonesome creatures, and live mostly soiltary lives on the warm plains of Argentina. The young look like the adults, except that their shells don't harden fully until adulthood. Also known as the Pichiciego, the pink fairy armadillo is endangered in the wild by cattle ranching and argricultural practices, as well as domestic cats and dogs.

Very little is known about this species, since its nocturnal habits and subterannean habitat make it difficult to observe in the wild. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has classified the pink fairy as data deficient (DD). Unfortunately, because the species has so little data pertaining to it, the extent to which it is endangered is difficult to guage, meaning that it could even be facing extinction.

Picture credit: Wikimedia Commons