MAKUSHI NAME: Kaikan, Kapasi, Mu’ru, Pîrun
CREOLE NAME: Ta-too
SIZE: body=55 cm; tail=45 cm; weight=10 kg
DESCRIPTION: Medium-sized, with a relatively elongated snout; narrow, close-set ears; carapace (bony shell) with a dome-shaped profile and 7 to 9 movable bands of scales on mid-back; well developed projecting scutes (bony plates) behind the knees. The base of the long, armoured tail is thick and noticeably flattened, especially in adults. Armadillos have no eyeshine.
ACTIVITY: Nocturnal, terrestrial.
HABITS: Solitary. This armadillo is often heard lumbering through leaves and twigs before it is seen.
HABITAT: Forest floor, especially near swamps or streams.
SIGNS: Burrow is conspicuous, about 25 cm in diameter with a smooth dome-shaped entrance, usually located near streams. Likewise, its bird-like, three-toed tracks are distinctive. This armadillo has a strong odour.
STATUS: Locally common. CITES lists this as a species of Least Concern.