Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus
Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus
Vulnerable
Extant (resident): Brazil: Minas Gerais, Bahia, Alagoas, Sergipe, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Goiás, Tocantins, Piauí, Paraíba, Ceará, Maranhão.
The Brazilian three-banded #armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus, known as “tatu-bola” in Portuguese, is a rare and unique species native to #Brazil. With the ability to roll into a near-impenetrable ball, this endearing behaviour has made them an icon of conservation efforts. They are found in the dry forests and savannahs of Brazil, particularly in the #Cerrado and Caatinga biomes. These fascinating armoured creatures are Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to agricultural expansion for #palmoil, #soy and #meat. Fragmentation of their ecosystem is ongoing for infrastructure projects and #goldmining. With their population in sharp decline, efforts to protect their habitats are essential for their survival. Help them every time you shop and adopt a #vegan diet, and #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottGold #Boycott4Wildlife on social media!
Resilient Brazilian three-banded #armadillos are fascinating real-life #pokemon of #SouthAmerica. They’re vulnerable from #palmoil meat and soy #deforestation in #Brazil. Resist their #extinction! Be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-8R9
Share to BlueSky
Share to Twitter
Brazilian three-banded #armadillos are the adorable armoured tanks of #Brazil’s #Cerrado who can curl into an armoured ball. They are #vulnerable from #deforestation. Help them survive by being #vegan and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-8R9
Share to BlueSky
Share to Twitter
Appearance & Behaviour
- The word “armadillo” means “little armoured one” in Spanish.
- They are known as ‘kwaráu’ in the now extinct Huamoé language and ˈkʌ̨́ñíkį̀ in the Kambiwá language of Brazil.
- Brazilian three-banded armadillos have a good nose and can smell termites and ants through up to 20 cm of soil.
- Their loose armour creates a layer of air, helping them to regulate their temperature in harsh climates.
- They are one of only two armadillo species that can roll into a tight ball.
Brazilian three-banded armadillos are easily recognised by their distinctive armour, which is composed of bony plates known as scutes. These scutes, covered in keratinised skin, form a protective shell around the animal’s body, allowing them to roll into a tight ball when threatened. This unique defence mechanism makes them virtually immune to most natural predators in the wild – except for humans. Their compact body length of 22 to 27 cm and a weight of about 1 to 1.6 kg makes it easy for them to navigate in the forest.
Their distinctive sharp claws and elongated snouts are perfectly adapted for foraging for ants and termites. Although primarily solitary, they sometimes travel in small family groups. They keep their noses to the ground sniffing out insects and move in a deliberate cautious way. Unlike other burrowing armadillos they prefer to hide in bushes for shelter and camouflage.
Threats
Deforestation for palm oil, soy and meat agriculture
Forest and grassland destruction for soy, palm oil, sugar cane and meat plantations is a serious threat. This has drastically reduced the Brazilian three-banded armadillo’s range in the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes.
Human encroachment for infrastructure projects
The Brazilian three-banded armadillo is impervious to many natural threats in their environment. However, infrastructure projects, roads, housing have become a significant threat to their survival.
Illegal hunting
Brazilian three-banded armadillos are hunted for their skins and meat.
Conservation
Conservation efforts for the Brazilian three-banded armadillo are indirect and focused on habitat protection rather than direct intervention. Protected areas within the Cerrado and Caatinga offer some refuge for the species. Yet large portions of their habitat remains at risk for deforestation.
Habitat
Resilient and tough, this armadillo has adapted over millions of years to thrive in harsh landscapes of poor rainfall and poor soil. Brazilian three-banded armadillos are found primarily in the northeastern regions of Brazil, inhabiting the open savannahs of the Cerrado and the dry woodlands of the Caatinga.
Diet
Brazilian three-banded armadillos are primarily insectivores, relying heavily on ants and termites as their main food source. Sharp claws allow them to dig into insect nests, and they use their long, sticky tongues to collect the prey. Occasionally they supplement their diet with molluscs, worms, fruit, and carrion.
Mating and breeding
The breeding season occurs between October and January. After a gestation period of approximately 120 days, females give birth to a single pup. Newborns are born blind, and their armour remains soft and pliable in the first weeks of life. A young armadillo’s shell hardens by week four. By this time they will be capable of protective rolling into a ball and walking. They are weaned by 10 weeks of age and reach reproductive maturity between 9 and 12 months.
Support Brazilian Three-Banded Armadillos by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Miranda, F., Moraes-Barros, N., Superina, M., & Abba, A. M. (2014). Tolypeutes tricinctus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014: e.T21975A47443455. doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1…
Wikipedia Contributors. (n.d.). Brazilian three-banded armadillo. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 16, 2024, from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilia…
Animalia. (n.d.). Brazilian Three-Banded Armadillo. Retrieved from animalia.bio/brazilian-three-b…
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 1,390 other subscribers
2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…
twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…
twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica
Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus
Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi
Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards
A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
#animals #armadillo #armadillos #Bantrophyhunting #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold #BoycottPalmOil #Brazil #BrazilianThreeBandedArmadilloTolypeutesTricinctus #Cerrado #deforestation #extinction #ForgottenAnimals #goldMining #goldmining #hunting #meat #meatAgriculture #meatAndSoyDeforestationInBrazil #meatDeforestation_ #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #poachers #poaching #pokemon #SouthAmericaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #SouthAmerica #soy #soyDeforestation #vegan #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies
Brazilian Three-Banded Armadillo - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio
Basic facts about Brazilian Three-Banded Armadillo: lifespan, distribution and habitat map, lifestyle and social behavior, mating habits, diet and nutrition, population size and status.animalia.bio
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica
Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sondaica
Critically Endangered
Extant (resident): Sumatra, IndonesiaThe Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sondaica is a critically endangered big cat, with less than 600 of their species alive in the wild today. Once living in Java and Bali, they are now only found in Sumatra, Indonesia. The smallest tiger species, they possess darker coats and narrower stripes than their mainland counterparts. Each pattern is as unique and distinct as a fingerprint. Sumatran Tigers face serious and grave threats from palm oil habitat destruction, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. Sumatra’s ongoing deforestation, driven by palm oil and acacia plantations, continues to shrink their habitat. While illegal poaching for the wildlife trade is decimating their population. Conservation efforts are underway, but the future of this magnificent species hangs in the balance. You can help protect the Sumatran tiger every time you shop. Learn how to boycott palm oil on the Palm Oil Detectives website. Raise awareness of them on social media using the hashtags #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.Fewer than 600 Sumatran #Tigers 🐅🐯 remain wild today 😭 Their number slashed by #palmoil #deforestation and illegal #poaching for body parts. Fight for their survival every time you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴⛔️ in the shops @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-8QT
Share to BlueSky
Share to TwitterMighty apex #predator, the Sumatran #Tiger’s stripes 🐯🐅 are unique like fingerprints. Critically #endangered, a few 100 remain alive! Major threats: #palmoil #ecocide and #poaching. Fight for them! 🌴⛔️ #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-8QT
Share to BlueSky
Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
- Their distinctive stripes are unique to each individual, similar to human fingerprints.
- They are strong swimmers, often moving between islands and across rivers in order to seek new territory or hunt prey.
Sumatran tigers possess a rare combination of strength, beauty, and mystery that has captivated the human imagination since time immemorial. Their deep orange coats with distinctive black stripes seem to ripple as they move stealthily through dense forests. Unlike their mainland cousins, their coats are darker, and their stripes dissolve into spots, making them even more unique. Tigers in Sumatra are known for their grace and ferocity, moving silently through their home territory, often evoking admiration, fear and awe in all other species.
They are the smallest subspecies of tiger. Males weigh between 100-140 kg and females between 75-110 kg. Their compact size, compared to other tiger species, helps them move with agility through the dense forests of Sumatra.These tigers like many other big cats prefer deep forests where they can blend into the foliage. Solitary creatures, Sumatran tigers only coming together for mating or a mother raising her young. These tigers are fiercely protective of their territory and will patrol vast areas to ensure their dominance. Their elusive and cryptic nature, combined with their regal appearance, inspires deep reverence from those who witness them.
Threats
Palm oil and timber deforestation
Clearing of forests for palm oil plantations and illegal logging for timber continues to destroy the Sumatran tigers’ natural habitat. Between 1985 and 2014, forest cover on Sumatra was reduced from 58% to just 26%. Forest destruction isolates tiger populations, making it difficult for them to hunt, breed, and thrive.Illegal poaching and black market trade in body parts
Tigers are killed for their skins, bones, and teeth, which are highly valued in traditional medicine and as luxury items. This illegal trade continues despite intensified conservation efforts, leading to significant population declines.Human-Tiger Conflict
As tigers lose their forest homes, they move closer to human settlements, sometimes attacking livestock. Retaliatory killings by villagers and farmers on palm oil plantations often result in the death of tigers, further reducing their numbers.Genetic Conditions from Captive Breeding
Tigers captured from the wild and then bred in Zoos face genetic disorders due to inbreeding, such as vestibular dysfunctions. Vestibular dysfunctions include: head tilt, circling, ataxia (loss of muscle control), strabismus (being cross-eyed) and nystagmus (rapid uncontrolled movements of the eyes). A 2015 study observed these signs observed between birth and 2 months of age. These conditions can affect their health and ability to thrive and reproduce.Habitat
Sumatran tigers inhabit a wide variety of forest habitats, including lowland tropical forests, hill forests, and montane forests. They are known to live in areas from sea level up to elevations of 3,200 metres in the highlands of Gunung Leuser National Park. Although they prefer dense forest areas for cover, Sumatran tigers are also forced to enter human-dominated landscapes such as farms and monoculture plantations at the edges of protected areas. Habitat fragmentation mainly occurs due to palm oil deforestation. These areas are less ideal for tigers and increase the likelihood of human-tiger conflicts. Sumatran tigers require large, contiguous forest blocks to roam, breed, and hunt effectively.Diet
Sumatran tigers are apex predators, feeding primarily on medium to large-sized mammals. Their diet consists of wild pigs, sambar deer, Malayan tapirs, and occasionally monkeys and birds. Tigers rely on stealth and ambush tactics to catch their prey, stalking their target before launching a powerful and precise attack. In some areas, prey depletion has forced tigers to rely more on smaller animals or venture closer to human settlements, which increases the risks of conflict with humans. Their role as top predators is crucial in maintaining the balance of their ecosystem by controlling prey populations. This prevents overgrazing and helps to preserve forest vegetation.Mating and breeding
Sumatran tigers are solitary animals that come together only for mating. Females typically give birth to litters of two or three cubs after a gestation period of about 3.5 months. Cubs are born blind and helpless, relying on their mother for protection and food for up to two years. During this time, the mother teaches the cubs essential hunting skills. Tigers reach sexual maturity at around 3 to 4 years of age. Due to their territorial nature, males will fight to defend their territory from other males, and only the strongest males have the opportunity to mate.Conservation
Several organisations are working to protect the Sumatran tiger, including Fauna & Flora International, Panthera, and TRAFFIC.Support Sumatran Tigers by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Further Information
Fauna & Flora International. (n.d.). Sumatran tiger. Fauna & Flora. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from fauna-flora.org/species/sumatr…IUCN Red List. (2020). Panthera tigris sondaica. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from iucnredlist.org/fr/species/159…
Wheelhouse, J. L., Hulst, F., Beatty, J. A., Hogg, C. J., Child, G., Wade, C. M., & Barrs, V. R. (2015). Congenital vestibular disease in captive Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae) in Australasia. Veterinary Journal, 206(2), 178–182. doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.tvjl.2015.…
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Sumatran tiger. Wikipedia. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran…
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email addressSign Up
Join 1,390 other subscribers
2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…
twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…
twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNGBrazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus
Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus
Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi
Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
#bigcat #bigcats #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #carnivores #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deforestation #ecocide #endangered #GlobalTigerDay #humanWildlifeConflict #hunting #Indonesia #Mammal #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #poaching #predator #SouthEastAsia #Sumatra #SumatranTigerPantheraTigrisSondaica #tiger #TigerPantheraTigris #tigers #timber
Palm Oil Detectives | Auckland
Palm Oil Detectives, Auckland, New Zealand. 612 likes · 12 talking about this. A collective of like-minded artists, writers, photographers, musicians and wildlife conservationists who share and...www.facebook.com