MANY ANIMALS ON THE PLANET ARE DISTINCT.
WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE.
THEN, THERE ARE THE MASHUPS,
CREATURES THAT SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN BUILT
FROM PARTS OF OTHER ANIMALS.
THESE CREATURES ARE HAVING A BIT OF AN IDENTITY CRISIS.
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CLASSIFYING CAPYBARAS IS A CONFUSING TASK.
ORIGINALLY, THEY WERE CONSIDERED TO BE A TYPE OF PIG.
BUT THEY HAVE A FACE LIKE A BEAVER
AND WEBBED FEET LIKE A DUCK.
THEY DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN WATER.
IN THE 16TH CENTURY, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
EVEN CLASSIFIED CAPYBARAS AS FISH
SO THAT THEIR MEAT COULD BE EATEN ON FRIDAYS
AND DURING LENT.
THEY RUN AT HIGH SPEEDS
AND CHEW THEIR FOOD LIKE A CAMEL.
SO, WHAT EXACTLY ARE CAPYBARAS?
THEY'RE RODENTS.
THE WORLD'S LARGEST RODENTS AT THAT.
TIPPING THE SCALES AT UP TO 68 KILOGRAMS.
BUT THE IDENTITY CRISIS DOESN'T STOP THERE.
THEY SQUEAK LIKE GUINEA PIGS, CHIRP LIKE BIRDS
AND EVEN BARK LIKE DOGS WHEN THREATENED.
THEY'RE INCREDIBLY VOCAL,
SO THEY CAN KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE OTHERS IN THEIR GROUP-
USUALLY 10 TO 20.
BUT SOMETIMES, UP TO 100 CAPYBARAS.
WHEN WORDS JUST WON'T DO,
THEY USE THEIR REAR ENDS FOR COMMUNICATION.
CAPYBARAS HAVE A PAIR OF SCENT GLANDS IN THEIR RUMPS
THAT THEY USE TO MARK THEIR TERRITORY.
MALES WILL MARK EVERYTHING FROM BUSHES TO EVEN FEMALES
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL FEMALES FOR EACH MALE.
THEY RUB THEIR RUMPS AND LEAVE BEHIND HAIRS
THAT ARE COATED IN AN OILY, SMELLY RESIDUE.
FEMALES ALSO DO THIS RUMP-RUBBING
BUT THEY SAVE IT FOR MATING SEASON
TO HELP THEM ATTRACT THE BEST PARTNER.
MAYBE THEIR BRAINS ARE WATERLOGGED
BUT CAPYBARAS ALSO SHARE SOME TRAITS
WITH ANOTHER STRANGE CREATURE, THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.
BOTH SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME IN WATER, SLEEPING, EATING
AND EVEN BREADING WHILE SUBMERGED.
THE CAPYBARAS HEADS ARE DESIGNED LIKE A HIPPO'S TOO
WITH THEIR NOSTRILS, EARS AND EYES
ABLE TO POP OUT OF THE WATER, SO THAT THEY CAN KEEP WATCH
OF ANY DANGER LURKING IN THE AREA.
THEY CAN HOLD THEIR BREATH FOR UP TO 5 MINUTES
IF THEY NEED TO HIDE FROM A PREDATOR
LIKE A JAGUAR, EAGLE OR AN ANACONDA.
CAPYBARAS CAN ALSO PRESS THEIR EARS AGAINST THEIR HEADS
TO KEEP WATER OUT.
EVEN THEIR EATING HABITS ARE SIMILAR TO OTHER CREATURES.
LIKE OTHER HERBIVORES, THEY CHEW THEIR CUD,
CAPYBARAS ARE SIMILAR TO RUMINANTS.
THEY CHEW THEIR FOOD, BRING IT UP AND CHEW IT AGAIN.
THIS IS SO THAT THEY CAN ABSORB AS MANY NUTRIENTS AS POSSIBLE
FROM THE GRASS AND AQUATIC PLANTS AROUND THEM.
THEY CAN EXTRACT EVEN MORE FROM THEIR FOOD
BY EATING THEIR OWN DROPPINGS JUST LIKE RABBITS.
THAT HELPS THEM CATCH ANY NUTRITION
THEY MAY HAVE MISSED THE FIRST TIME.
THEIR SCIENTIFIC NAME, HYDROCHAERIS, MEANS "WATER PIG",
STEMMING FROM THE EARLIEST DAYS OF THEIR IDENTITY CRISIS.
BUT THEIR ACTUAL NAME, CAPYBARA,
MEANS "ONE WHO EATS SLENDER LEAVES",
WHICH GIVES A PRETTY GOOD DESCRIPTION
ON WHAT THEY LIKE TO MUNCH ON.
AND ROLLS OFF THE TONGUE MUCH EASIER THAN HIPPO,
DUCK, FISH, RAT, COW, PIG.
THESE MASSIVE SOUTH AMERICAN RODENTS
HAVE TRULY FORGED THEIR OWN STRANGE IDENTITY,
EVEN IF THEY HAD TO BORROW IT FROM SEVERAL OTHER SPECIES.
IT HANGS OUT HIDDEN IN HUMID PLACES
WAITING PATIENTLY FOR SOMETHING IT CAN EAT FOR DINNER.
BUT THIS CREATURE IS NOT EXACTLY WHAT IT SEEMS.
HERE'S A RIDDLE.
WHAT HAS EIGHT LEGS,
CAN GROW UP TO TWO FEET WIDE,
AND IS THE EMBODIMENT OF MOST PEOPLE'S NIGHTMARES?
NOPE, IT'S NOT A SPIDER.
IT'S AN AMBLYPYGI.
DESPITE IT'S TERRIFYING APPEARANCE,
THE AMBLYPYGI IS NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OFF.
IT IS AN ARACHNID BUT NOT A SPIDER
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SPIN SILK
AND DOESN'T HAVE VENOMOUS FANGS LIKE MOST SPIDERS.
THE AMBLYPYGI IS NOT GOING TO BITE YOU
AND WILL LIKELY SCURRY AWAY AND HIDE
BEFORE YOU EVEN KNOW IT'S THERE.
ITS NAME, AMBLYPYGI, MEANS "BLUNT RUMP"
FOR ITS SHORT STUMPY REAR BUT DON'T TELL IT THAT.
IF THAT'S TOO MUCH OF A MOUTHFUL,
THEY'RE ALSO KNOWN AS "WHIP SPIDERS"
OR "TAILLESS WHIP SCORPIONS",
DESPITE NOT BEING A SPIDER OR A SCORPION.
IT'S A COMPLETELY SEPARATE ORDER OF ARACHNIDS
MADE UP OF 155 DIFFERENT SPECIES.
THE WHIP COMES FROM THESE STRANGE, LONG,
WISPY FRONT LEGS.
THESE LEGS AREN'T MADE FOR WALKING,
THEY'RE EXTREMELY SENSITIVE SENSORY ORGANS
AND THE AMBLYPYGI USE THEM TO FEEL THEIR WAY AROUND.
THESE HORRIFYING CREATURES ARE NOCTURNAL
WITH SOME SPECIES EVEN LIVING UNDERGROUND,
WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY, EVEN WITH EIGHT TWINKLING EYES
PEERING OUT AT THE WORLD,
THE AMBLYPYGI HAVE TERRIBLE VISION.
THEY NEED THEIR SENSORY LEGS
TO KNOW WHAT'S COMING UP AROUND THE CORNER.
THE OTHER 6 LEGS ARE FOR STRUTTING AROUND.
IT DOESN'T EXACTLY WALK LIKE AN ARACHNID
MORE LIKE A CRUSTACEAN,
SHUFFLING LEFT AND RIGHT LIKE A CRAB.
THEY'RE ALSO EXPERTS AT STAYING VERY STILL,
ESPECIALLY WHEN ON THE HUNT.
AMBLYPYGI ARE CARNIVORES
WITH AN APPETITE FOR INSECTS AND A PENSION FOR PATIENCE,
SOMETIMES WAITING TWO TO THREE WEEKS
FOR THE PERFECT MEAL TO STROLL ON BY.
BUT THEY'RE NOT LONERS, FAR FROM IT,
THESE ARACHNIDS ARE SOCIAL CREATURES.
WHEN TWO STRANGE AMBLYPYGI ARE PUT TOGETHER,
THEY IMMEDIATELY SEEK EACH OTHER OUT FOR COMFORT
OR PERHAPS TO PLOT WORLD DOMINATION.
AND THEY'RE ALSO FANTASTIC PARENTS.
FEMALES WILL ACTUALLY CARRY THEIR BABIES
COLORED WITH GREEN BODIES AND PINKISH LEGS ON THEIR BACKS.
THEN WHEN THEY'E BIG ENOUGH, THE MOTHERS AND CHILDREN SNUGGLE
AND EVEN CARESS EACH OTHER WITH THEIR LONG WHIP ARMS
AND STAY TOGETHER AS A FAMILY GROUP
UNTIL THE KIDS ARE ALL GROWN UP.
THIS IS INCREDIBLY RARE FOR ARACHNIDS.
USUALLY, THE BABIES ARE LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES
AFTER BIRTH.
SO, YOU ARACHNOPHOBES,
THESE HORRIFYING LOOKING CREATURES ARE ALSO SNUGGLY,
WHILE THEY MAY HAUNT YOUR NIGHTMARES,
THEY CAN ALSO BE THE PERFECT PET
IF, SAY, A PUPPY JUST WASN'T YOUR THING.
IT IS OFTEN CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE UGLIEST ANIMALS
ON THE PLANETS.
MAYBE THAT EXPLAINS WHY THE WARTHOG
MIGHT BE STRUGGLING WITH SOME INSECURITY.
THERE ARE 16 DIFFERENT PIG SPECIES IN THE WORLD
INCLUDING THIS UGLY THING IN AFRICA.
EVEN ITS NAME IS UGLY, THE WARTHOG.
IT HAS TUSKS LIKE AN ELEPHANT
AND FACIAL WARTS LIKE SOME HUMANS.
ITS NAME EVEN COMES FROM THE MASSIVE WART-LIKE LUMPS
THAT COME OUT OF ITS FACE.
SCIENTISTS REALLY AREN'T SURE WHY THEY HAVE THESE WARTS.
ONE THEORY IS THAT IT IS TO PROVIDE A BIT OF A BUFFER
DURING A WARTHOG FIGHT,
WHICH HAPPENS A LOT DURING MATING SEASON,
AS MALES RAM EACH OTHER WITH THEIR MASSIVE HEADS.
WARTHOGS ARE DESIGNED TO PUT UP A FIGHT IF NEED BE.
THEY'RE BORN WITH THICKER SKIN AROUND THEIR KNEES,
SO THEY CAN DROP DOWN WITH EASE DURING A SCUFFLE.
THEIR BIGGEST WEAPON IS THEIR TUSKS.
BOTH MALES AND FEMALES HAVE STRANGE-LOOKING TUSKS
JUTTING OUT OF THEIR FACE.
THE UPPER TWO TUSKS CAN GROW UP TO TEN INCHES LONG.
THEY ALSO HAVE TWO SHORTER TUSKS BELOW
THAT CAN CAUSE SOME DAMAGE IN A FIGHT
BUT THEY ALSO HELP THEM DIG IN THE DIRT FOR GRUBS AND INSECTS.
BUT DESPITE HAVING THE BUILD OF A FIGHTER,
THE WARTHOG PREFERS TO BE LEFT ALONE,
AND WILL MOST OFTEN CHOOSE FLIGHT OVER FIGHT.
WARTHOGS HAVE LONGER LEGS THAN ANY OTHER SWINE SPECIES.
THAT MEANS THEY CAN RUN UP TO 34 MILES AN HOUR
TO HELP THEM GET AWAY FROM DANGER.
MALES PREFER TO BE SOLITARY,
MAYBE THEY'RE SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT THEIR LOOKS.
FEMALES ARE MORE SOCIAL,
ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY HAVE YOUNG PIGLETS WITH THEM.
FEMALES HANG OUT IN GROUPS CALLED "SOUNDERS",
MADE UP OF UP TO 40 WARTHOGS,
SLEEPING CLOSE AND EVEN GROOMING EACH OTHER.
WARTHOGS ARE INCREDIBLY SMART
AND HAVE ADAPTED DIFFERENT WAYS TO KEEP AN EYE ON PREDATORS,
INCLUDING BEING SQUATTERS.
TO SAVE THEMSELVES THE TROUBLE OF BUILDING THEIR OWN HOMES,
THEY MOVE INTO ABANDONED AARDVARK HOMES INSTEAD.
THEY ALWAYS ENTER IN BACKWARDS, RUB FIRST
SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT BEING FOLLOWED
AND CAN USE THEIR SHARP TUSKS AS A BOUNCER
IF ANY TROUBLE COMES KNOCKING.
THOSE BURROWS ALSO HELP THEM DEAL WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES.
THEY'RE THE ONLY SPECIES OF PIG
THAT CAN LIVE WITHOUT WATER FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
THEY HAVE SPECIAL COOLING TECHNIQUES
THAT HELP THEM GET THROUGH THE HOT SUMMERS IN EAST AFRICA.
WARTHOGS ALSO TRY AND OUTSMART OTHER WARTHOGS.
THEY COMMUNICATE BY LEAVING DIFFERENT SMELLS FOR EACH OTHER,
SECRETING A FLUID FROM THEIR SCENT GLANDS IN THEIR FACES
TO MARK THEIR WATER HOLES
AND THEIR SLEEPING AND FEEDING AREAS.
THE WARTHOGS WILL SPRAY EXTRA HIGH
TO PRETEND THEY ARE BIGGER THAN THEY ACTUALLY ARE.
THERE IS NO DENYING IT, WARTHOGS ARE PRETTY UGLY
AND MAYBE THAT'S WHY THEY'VE ADOPTED THE TRAITS
OF SEVERAL OTHER BETTER-LOOKING ANIMALS.
BUT THEY'RE SURVIVORS.
AND THOUGH THEY MAY NOT WIN ANY BEAUTY CONTESTS,
THEY SEEM TO BE WINING IN THE GAME OF LIFE.
THE GIANT ANTEATER LOOKS LIKE A FASHIONISTA
IN DESIGNER FURS
BUT UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION,
THIS CREATURE IS ALSO DONNING THE LOOK
OF SEVERAL OTHER ANIMALS.
DEEP INSIDE CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
LIVES A SOLITARY BEAST, A LONER, A RECLUSE.
IT'S GOT THE BODY OF A LARGE DOG,
A NOSE LIKE A SMALL ELEPHANT
AND CLAWS LIKE A BEAR.
MAYBE BECAUSE IT'S MISUNDERSTOOD
OR BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE STRANGEST-LOOKING
CREATURES AROUND.
ITS IDENTITY TRULY SEEMS TO BE ELUDED IN THE SAYING
"YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT".
THE ANTEATER IS EVEN NAMED FOR ITS PREFERRED MEAL,
WHETHER IT LIKES IT OR NOT.
THE TRUTH IS, THEY EAT OTHER INSECTS TOO,
SO MAYBE THEY'VE BEEN UNFAIRLY BRANDED.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, THE ANTEATER IS A VACUUM.
ITS BODY IS PERFECTLY DESIGNED TO CATCH PREY
WITH ITS LONG SNOUT AND EVEN LONGER TONGUE,
WHICH CAN STRETCH OUT AN IMPRESSIVE
TWO FEET FROM THE MOUTH.
RELATIVE TO ITS BODY SIZE,
THE ANTEATER HAS THE SECOND LONGEST TONGUE
AMONG ALL MAMMALS.
THIS MEGA-EFFICIENT TONGUE
CAN FLICK UP TO 160 TIMES PER MINUTE,
LAPPING UP TO 35,000 INSECTS IN A SINGLE DAY.
THE ANTEATER'S SALIVA ALSO PLAYS A HUGE ROLE.
IT'S THICK AND STICKY AND THERE'S LOTS OF IT,
PERFECT FOR TRAPPING INSECTS
BEFORE THEY EVEN KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THE ANTEATER DOESN'T HAVE TEETH OR A TYPICAL JAWBONE
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T NEED TO CHEW.
IT USES STRONG DIGESTIVE JUICES TO BREAK DOWN THE BUGS IT EATS.
IT HAS TO WORK FAST
SINCE ANTS FIGHT BACK WITH PAINFUL STINGS.
THE ANTEATER SPENDS AN AVERAGE OF ONE MINUTE
SNACKING ON AN ANT'S NEST, BEING CAREFUL NOT TO DESTROY IT,
SO THAT IT CAN COME BACK LATER FOR SECONDS.
AFTER ALL IT'S NOT A SAVAGE.
SO MAYBE IT'S NOT A LONER
OR MAYBE IT JUST MASTERED THE ART OF CONSUMPTION.
IT MASTERED ANOTHER TRAIT AS WELL, ITS TAIL.
THE BIG BUSHY TAIL IS HARD TO MISS.
IT CAN STRETCH TO ALMOST ITS ENTIRE BODY LENGTH,
THAT'S TO MAKE IT LOOK BIGGER,
SO THEIR PREDATORS LEAVE IT ALONE.
AND IF THEY DON'T LEAVE IT ALONE,
WELL, THE ANTEATER HAS A SOLUTION FOR THAT.
ITS MEGA-SHARP CLAWS ARE FOUR INCHES LONG,
USED TO TEAR OPENINGS INTO ANT HILLS,
BUT ALSO TO FIGHT OFF IMPRESSIVE PREDATORS
LIKE PUMAS AND EVEN JAGUARS.
IN ORDER TO KEEP ITS CLAWS IN RAZOR-SHARP CONDITION,
IT WALKS ON ITS WRISTS, JUST LIKE A GORILLA.
THE ANTEATER IS ALSO PRACTICALLY BLIND.
TO COMPENSATE,
ITS SENSE OF SMELL IS 40 TIMES STRONGER THAN A HUMAN'S.
BUGS DON'T PROVIDE IT WITH A LOT OF CALORIES,
EVEN WITH A 200 ANT'S NEST IT VISITS EACH DAY.
SO, IT'S ADAPTED TO HAVE A SLOW METABOLISM
AND ONE OF THE LOWEST BODY TEMPERATURE OF MAMMALS
AT JUST OVER 90°F.
THAT'S JUST SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN ITS CLOSEST RELATIVE,
THE SLOTH,
AND MAKES IT ONE COOL CUSTOMER.
THE ANTEATER IS STUCK WITH ITS NAME, LIKE IT OR NOT,
BUT ON THE INSIDE, LIKE MOST CREATURES,
MAYBE IT WONDERS WHAT IT REALLY IS.
BUT AT LEAST, IT'S CONTEMPLATING IT ON A FULL STOMACH.
THE OKAPI, WITH ITS UNIQUE APPEARANCE,
IS LIKE NO OTHER AFRICAN MAMMAL OR IS IT?
FROM THE DENSE JUNGLE OF THE CONGO,
THIS MYSTERIOUS BEAST APPEARS TO BE MADE UP OF DIFFERENT ANIMALS.
SOME SAY, IT LOOKS LIKE A HORSE
WITH GIRAFFE EARS AND A ZEBRA'S LEGS.
IT'S ONLY BEEN SEEN IN GLIMPSES
AS IT QUICKLY DISAPPEARS BACK INTO THE JUNGLE.
BUT THIS ANIMAL IS REAL
AND THOUGH IT HAS A BIT OF AN IDENTITY CRISIS,
IT'S INTRIGUING NONETHELESS.
THE OKAPI IS THE ONLY CLOSE RELATIVE
TO THE MODERN-DAY GIRAFFE.
IN FACT, IT IS SOMETIMES CALLED THE "FOREST GIRAFFE"
CAUSE OF WHERE IT LIVES.
THEY WERE ONLY OFFICIALLY DISCOVERED IN THE YEAR 1901,
MAKING THEM THE LAST LARGE MAMMAL
DISCOVERED ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.
THEIR HEADS LOOK SIMILAR,
COMPLETE WITH INCREDIBLY LONG TONGUES,
THE TONGUE HELPS THEM STRIP LEAVES AND BUDS FROM TREES
JUST LIKE A GIRAFFE DOES.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, AT 14 INCHES,
THE TONGUE IS LONG ENOUGH TO WASH THEIR EYES LIDS
AND CLEAN THEIR EARS.
BUT STILL, NO MATTER HOW HARD IT TRIES,
THE OKAPI JUST CAN'T REACH THE HEIGHTS OF ITS TALLER COUSIN.
THE OKAPI IS NO SMALL FRY THOUGH,
IT'S ABOUT SIX FEET TALL AT THE HEAD
AND CAN WEIGH UP TO 350 KILOGRAMS,
THAT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF A HORSE.
WHILE ITS BACK IS DARK RED,
ITS LEGS AND RUMP HAVE HORIZONTAL WHITE STRIPES
THAT LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO A ZEBRA'S.
SCIENTISTS AREN'T SURE WHY THE OKAPI HAS STRIPES.
ONE THEORY IS, CAMOUFLAGE BUT ANOTHER THEORY
IS THAT THEY MAY HELP BABY OKAPI FOLLOW THEIR PARENTS
THROUGH THE THICK FOREST.
THE OKAPI USED TO BE CALLED THE "AFRICAN UNICORN"
BECAUSE IT WAS SO RARE AND HARD TO FIND IN THE WILD,
YET ANOTHER IDENTITY TO STRUGGLE WITH.
LUCKILY, THE MISHMASH OF TRAITS IS WORKING FOR IT.
THE OKAPI'S BIG EARS CAN HEAR TROUBLE COMING FROM FAR AWAY,
WHICH HAS ALLOWED IT TO SUCCESSFULLY EVADE PREDATORS
BY SLIPPING INTO THE FOREST.
THE MYSTERIOUS WAY THEY COMMUNICATE HELPS TOO.
OKAPI SPEAK THE SAME WAY ELEPHANTS DO,
USING INFRASOUND.
THESE CALLS ARE SO LOW
THEY'RE BELOW THE HUMAN RANGE OF HEARING.
THESE LOW VIBRATIONS CAN TRAVEL FAR DISTANCES
THROUGH THE DENSE RAINFOREST,
WHICH LETS THEM COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER
WITHOUT ALERTING POTENTIAL PREDATORS.
THEY'RE NOT BIG TALKERS THOUGH, OKAPIS ARE SO SHY
THEY SPEND A GOOD CHUNK OF THEIR LIFE ALONE.
THE ONLY TIME THEY NEED TO COMMUNICATE
IS DURING MATING SEASON AND BETWEEN MOTHER AND CHILD.
AS A CREATURE OF FEW NEEDS AND QUIET DEMEANOR,
THEY HAVE MASTERED THE ART OF STAYING ALIVE.
AT THEIR SIZE, THE ONLY REAL THREAT IS A JAGUAR
AND THEY ARE EQUIPPED TO HEAR ONE COMING.
CALL AN OKAPI WHATEVER YOU LIKE,
A GIRAFFE, A ZEBRA, A HORSE;
IT'S STILL AN OKAPI.
WHEN DEALING WITH CONFLICT,
ARMADILLOS JUST ROLL UP AND HOLD IT ALL INSIDE
BUT THIS STRATEGY MAY BE CAUSING SOME IDENTITY ISSUES.
THE THREE-BANDED ARMADILLO LOOKS LIKE A RODENT
IN A TURTLE'S SHELL CROSSED WITH A CROQUET BALL.
IT MIGHT LOOK THREATENING WITH ALL THIS RUGGED ARMOR-PLATING
BUT UNDERNEATH, IT'S JUST A BIG OLD SOFTY.
THREE-BANDED ARMADILLOS ARE FAMOUS
FOR THEIR IMPRESSIVE DEFENSE STRATEGY,
ROLLING UP INTO A BALL.
BUT UNLIKE CERTAIN VIDEO GAME CHARACTERS,
THE ARMADILLO DOESN'T MOW ANYBODY DOWN.
IT JUST STAYS BALL-SHAPED UNTIL THE DANGER HAS PASSED.
IT MIGHT LOOK SILLY BUT IT WORKS.
WHEN IT'S SHUT TIGHT LIKE THIS,
IT PROTECTS THE MORE VULNERABLE PARTS OF ITS BODY
WITH THEIR SHELL ACTING LIKE A SHIELD.
THE KEY IS IN THOSE THREE BANDS AND ITS NAME.
THE ARMOR IS MADE UP OF TWO DOMED HALF SHELLS
AND THREE FLEXIBLE ARMORED BANDS IN BETWEEN.
WHEN DANGER IS AROUND, THE ARMADILLO CAN FLEX
AND SNAP THE TWO BODY SHELLS TOGETHER TO FORM A SPHERE,
FITTING THEIR HEAD AND TAIL TOGETHER.
THE THICK, LEATHERY SHELL IS MORE THAN JUST ARMOR,
IT ALSO TRAPS IN BODY HEAT AND CONSERVES WATER
WHICH IS VERY USEFUL IN THE DRY FORESTS
AND SAVANNAHS OF SOUTH AMERICA.
THE SHELL ITSELF IS MADE UP OF KERATIN,
JUST LIKE HUMAN FINGER NAILS,
AND THE PLATES ARE UNIQUE FOR EACH ANIMAL,
JUST LIKE FINGERPRINTS.
SPEAKING OF FINGERS, THIS ARMADILLO'S FINGERS
ARE ALSO AN ATTEMPT AT LOOKING TOUGH.
WHILE ITS BACK FEET ARE ALMOST LIKE MINI HOOVES,
ITS FRONT FEET HAVE FOUR SHARP POWERFUL CLAWS.
IT ACTUALLY WALKS AND EVEN RUNS
ON THE TIPS OF THESE CRAZY CLAWS.
THE CLAWS ARE USED MOSTLY FOR BURROWING DOWN INTO THE GROUND
TO GET TASTY BEETLE LARVAE TO SLURP UP
USING ITS LONG, STICKY PINK TONGUE
THAT'S SHAPED LIKE A STRAW.
WHEN IT'S NOT EATING, IT'S SLEEPING,
UP TO 16 HOURS A DAY.
LIKE MOST WANNABE TOUGH GUYS,
THE THREE-BANDED ARMADILLO TENDS TO LIVE ALONE.
ALTHOUGH, DURING COLD WEATHER,
IT LOSES THE TOUGH ATTITUDE AND SNUGGLES WITH OTHERS,
IN A GROUP CALLED A "FEZ" TO STAY WARM.
USUALLY IT SNEAKS INTO ABANDONED BURROWS OF OTHER ANIMALS
OR GETS COZY UNDER DENSE VEGETATION.
IN THE ROUGH AND TUMBLE WORLD OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM,
IT'S NO SURPRISE THE THREE-BANDED ARMADILLO
IS TRYING TO LOOK AS TOUGH AS POSSIBLE,
IT MIGHT BE A REAL SOFTY UNDERNEATH.
BUT AT LEAST, IT'S HAVING A BALL.
THOUGH THESE CREATURES MAY ALL BE HAVING SOME IDENTITY ISSUES,
THEY ARE DEFINITELY PROVING THEMSELVES AS SURVIVORS
IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.
WITH A MISHMASH OF TRAITS, THEY DEFY AN EASY DEFINITION
BUT SHOULD CELEBRATED FOR THEIR STRANGE CURIOSITIES.
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