Pink fairy armadillo!
The smallest of the armadillo family is a fascinating species that like so many animals on our planet is endangered. The animal is nicknamed sand digger and according to stories it can”burrow through the ground as fast as a fish can swim in the sea”. It might be difficult to believe that this cute looking animal exists, it looks like a weasel dressed in an ice cream cone!
The Armadillo is a Spanish word meaning “little armoured one” and the salmon-coloured pink fairy armadillo with its sharp claws is the perfect inspiration for a character in a biomimicry story. Writing a biomimicry inspired story is a great way to explore functions and gain deeper insight into an animal’s lives and special adaptations.
Identifying the function is at a core when you engage in biomimicry with young children. Creating a creature build of different animals may help a young child to explore how special pink fairy armadillos digging skills are. They are nocturnal and spend their nights burrowing in the sands of central Argentina with their enormous claws. They pat the sand behind them into a compact tunnel with a butt plate that resembles a spatula.
Create your own character for story or comic strip.
What is its name?
What kind of habitat will it live in?
What problems is the character facing?
What things can you invent inspired by the creature?
Facts about Pink Fairy Armadillo
The armadillo is about 9 cm to 11.5 cm long and it is so tiny that it fits into your hand. The pink fairy armadillo lives in Argentina and other areas in South America. It is threatened by destruction of its habitat and by domestic dogs who can break their shell.
Armadillos has bony plates that cover their back, head, legs, and tail. They are the only living mammals that wear such shells. The shells are made of bony plates that grow in the skin. The shell protects them from thorny shrubs where they like to hide from predators. Armadillos have provided inspiration for body armour. Yet, the shell is perhaps not like an armour since it can easily break if a predator gets to them. The shell works more like a hard-shelled suitcase.
They have tiny eyes and rely on hearing and touch to navigate. The pink fairy armadillo has large claws that are so big that it is hindering their ability to walk on hard surfaces.
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