Armadillos are instantly recognizable mammals due to the unique, bony plating that covers their body. This armor, called a carapace, is made of dermal bone plates covered in overlapping epidermal scales known as scutes. The name “armadillo” is Spanish for “little armored one.” The Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is the most widespread species and the only one to have successfully colonized the United States, living in warm, moist habitats across the South. The rigid shell functions as a formidable shield, leading many to wonder how predators manage to breach this defense.
Mammalian and Avian Predators
The species that regularly prey on adult armadillos are large, powerful, and opportunistic hunters across North and South America. In the United States, the primary threats come from members of the Canidae and Felidae families, including coyotes, bobcats, and cougars (mountain lions). Coyotes are frequently cited as major armadillo predators, often hunting them due to their abundance and relatively slow movement. These canids possess the jaw strength necessary to engage an armored target.
In the armadillo’s southern range, larger apex predators pose a significant threat. The powerful jaguar, a large feline with an exceptionally strong bite, readily includes armadillos in its diet. Black bears are also known predators, using their size and sense of smell to locate and overpower the armored mammals. Avian predators, such as large eagles and hawks, generally target smaller or younger armadillos, but they can inflict damage on adults, though they are less frequent attackers than terrestrial carnivores.
Overcoming the Armored Defense
The armadillo’s defense strategy is not to fight, but to run, dig a burrow with its powerful claws, or press its body low to the ground to shield its vulnerable underside. The hard carapace is effective at deflecting glancing blows and minor attacks, but it is not impenetrable. A predator’s success hinges on a specific strategy: exposing the soft, unarmored belly.
Large carnivores must use force and technique to flip the armadillo onto its back before it can fully brace itself. Once inverted, the soft abdomen is exposed, allowing the predator to attack with teeth or claws. Coyotes often bypass the shell by attacking unprotected edges, such as the snout, feet, or tail, using their teeth to pry into the jointed plating. Only the South American Three-banded Armadillo can roll completely into a ball; the Nine-banded Armadillo’s shell is too segmented for this full enclosure.
Birds of prey employ a different kind of force, using their talons to strike and attempt to smash the bony plates. The impact of a raptor’s strike, or the prying action of its beak, can exploit the flexible bands of skin connecting the scutes on the armadillo’s back. Even if the shell is not breached, the animal’s natural reaction is often to leap vertically into the air, which, while sometimes startling a predator, can expose it to a decisive follow-up attack.
Vulnerability of Juvenile Armadillos
Young armadillos face an increased risk of predation compared to their armored parents. At birth, the pups’ shells are soft and pliable, having a texture similar to a human fingernail, and their bodies are pink and hairless. This physical immaturity means they lack the primary defense mechanism of the adult.
Because of their soft carapace, juveniles are susceptible to a broader range of opportunistic predators that cannot tackle a mature, armored adult. Animals like foxes, raccoons, and large owls can easily prey upon the young. It takes several months for the bony plates to fully harden, making the first six months of a juvenile’s life a period of heightened danger from nearly any medium-sized carnivore.