Large Hairy Armadillo

The peludo is a broad, sturdy armadillo with a flattened shell and coarse hairs projecting between the armour. It is substantially larger than the pichi. Rather than relying on the number of shell bands alone, compare overall size, shell shape and the proportions of the ears.

Its flexible diet includes beetles and larvae, fruit, small animals, eggs and carrion. This adaptability helps it occupy steppe and scrub as well as modified rural habitats. The shell is its most obvious feature, but the strong claws and digging habit are equally important to its daily life.

In our region. Resident in the Madryn–Valdés region throughout the year. Animals may be encountered on terrestrial outings, although their surface activity varies.