Numbers of animals, our future generation may not see – Erakina

There are a few animals that look slightly similar to the armadillos and are declared endangered. Come take a look at what these different animals are like.

An Armadillo Standing on its Hind Legs.

What is an Armadillo?

Have you ever seen an armadillo? If yes, you must know that they look a lot different from the other mammals. They are commonly seen in the parts of North, Central, and South America but are still a unique animal to have curiosity for. They are leathery, warm-blooded, have hair, and give live birth. They are little but are mammals and feed milk to their young ones. 21 different species with their uniqueness are there. They are strongly built, with short legs and a tank-like body. The hard shell protects from predators. Not all but some of the species of armadillos are classified as threatened from vulnerable to endangered. Here we are going to know about the animals that share quite similar looks with armadillos and are endangered.

Anteaters

A Giant Anteater walking, covered with grayish-brown fur.

Surprisingly they are edentate(they lack teeth) but their huge tongue is enough to get them sufficient ants and termites. These mammals are found in South and Central America and speedily decrease in number, declared vulnerable by the IUCN(the International Union for Conservation of Nature).

Habitat destruction, vigorous hunting, and roadkill are the main causes of the disappearance of these mammals.

Anteaters have a similar backbone structure like Armadillos which help them in climbing and burrowing, but they lack armor.

Sloth

Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth sitting on a branch of a tree with a smile on its face.

This smile-faced animal is a sloth, they are arboreal(live on trees) and slow. Whenever you see any sloth you must see it hanging upside down so they prefer forests to live in. they are lazy and slow but surprisingly, are good swimmers.

This Pygmy Three-Toed sloth is critically endangered. Habitat destruction and poaching are the major reasons for these species to become endangered.

They also share the same joint structure of backbone that helps them to climb just like in Armadillos but don’t have armor.

Pangolins

A Pangolin in a forest.

The mammals are wholly covered with scales. They are also known as scaly Anteaters because they look a lot like them. They are edentate, live in hollow trees or burrows, feed on ants, termites, and larvae. They can curl up into a ball in defense. They are found in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Poaching and illegal slaughtering are the reasons these nocturnal creatures can go extinct soon.

They are like armadillos because they also possess the armor but in plates form.

Sea turtles

Close up of Sea Turtle in the sea.

These reptiles are the only vertebrates with whole shells. Every continent has them except Antarctica. They swim to their preferable beaches to lay eggs. They weigh around 2200 pounds and the length of their shell is around 4.5 to 5.5 feet. Their lifespan is from 15 to 200 years or more depending upon the species. They are omnivorous and good swimmers but come up to the surface to breathe.

Some major threats for Sea Turtles are fisheries(they caught up in net gills and trawls), they are killed for their eggs for intake and for preparing various oils, leather, and shells. Habit destruction, pollution, and climate changes are widely affecting them.

They are armored like Armadillos but in shell form.

Sea Urchin

Sea Urchin covered with Spines.

They are invertebrates, that live in sea beds. They look like underwater flowers but they are animals. Their mouth is situated in the lower part of the trunk through which they trap and digest food. They are very tiny, around 1 to 4 inches high but they can grow up to 14 inches wide. Their lifespan is around 100 years and weighs up to 1 pound.

They are not declared endangered yet but, can become soon because they are widely used in preparing cuisines in Japan and other countries.

They are like Armadillos as they also have hard shells for protection, but unlike armadillos, they live underwater.

These are some endangered or about to become endangered species that have some resemblance with Armadillo. Various species are going to be endangered, already on the red list, some on the verge of extinction, and some already gone. Either by natural calamities or by human practices, we are losing several birds and animals which is an alarming issue that needs to be taken care of. These species can still be conserved with little awareness. We can not have control over the disasters of nature but controlling over the human nature of greediness can resolve this issue to some extent.

By-Vaidehee Bhawsar

17/01/2022