How high can a nine-banded armadillo jump?

by the Science Reference Section, Library of Congress

Question
How high can a nine-banded armadillo jump?

Answer
Three to four feet into the air.

Armadillo. Gulf Islands National Seashore, 2013. National Park Service, NP Digital Asset Management System.

Of the twenty species of armadillo that exist throughout the Americas, the nine-banded armadillo (dasypus novemcinctus) is the only one found in the United States. When startled, the nine-banded armadillo can jump straight upward about three to four feet into the air. This reflex may help scare off predators in the wild. Unfortunately, many armadillos are killed when they jump into the underside of moving vehicles.

Nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). Cumberland Island National Seashore, 2015. National Park Service, NP Digital Asset Management System.

Amazing Armadillo Facts…

Armadillos can cross bodies of water in two ways: they can inflate their stomachs and intestines with air and float across the water, or they can sink down and use their sharp claws to walk across the bottom.

They can hold their breath for six minutes or more!

The nine-banded armadillo always gives birth to same gender quadruplets from a single egg.

The Latin name for the nine-banded armadillo is Dasypus novemcinctus. The word Dasypus is derived from the Latin word for rabbit. Novem means nine and cinctus means band. Literally, it translates to “nine-banded rabbit.” It is said that armadillos without their shells resemble rabbits.

Nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). Cumberland Island National Seashore, 2015. National Park Service, NP Digital Asset Management System.

Published: 11/19/2019. Author: Science Reference Section, Library of Congress