The capture of a female giant armadillo has initiated groundbreaking research in the Brazilian Cerrado. Following the same approach used in the Pantanal since 2010, researchers installed a GPS transmitter on the animal to gather detailed information about its nocturnal movements, preferred areas of use, and behavioral patterns.
The 34-kilogram female, measuring 1.45 meters in length, was captured in the Pombo National Park, in Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul. She had previously been spotted in some of the 80 camera traps set up throughout the region.
The capture was conducted by the Institute for the Conservation of Wild Animals (ICAS), responsible for the Giant Armadillo project, with support from the city of Três Lagoas.
Arnaud Desbiez, president and founder of ICAS, states that this work is crucial to understand how agricultural matrices impact the movement of the species and to prioritize certain areas around the park to maintain connectivity with other fragments of native forest in the Cerrado.
The giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) is the largest armadillo species in the world and is considered endangered. It plays a crucial role in the ecosystems where it lives, standing out as a true environmental engineer. Its burrows, which can reach up to six meters in length, are expertly dug and serve as refuges for over 100 species of vertebrates and 300 species of invertebrates, creating micro-habitats that promote biodiversity. This positive impact reinforces its ecological importance, especially in threatened biomes such as the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest.
Adults can weigh between 28 and 60 kilograms, depending on the biome, and measure up to 1.5 meters in length, including the tail. One of its most striking features is its front claw, which can reach around 13 cm, making it ideal for digging burrows and searching for food.
The species has a late sexual maturity, reached between 7 and 9 years old, and a unique reproductive cycle. Females have pregnancies lasting five months, giving birth to only one offspring at a time, with intervals of 3 to 4 years between litters. This reproductive pattern contributes to its vulnerability, making its conservation even more urgent.
Protecting the giant armadillo is protecting the ecosystem services and the life diversity that depend on its existence. Its conservation is essential for the balance of various biomes and to ensure an environmental legacy for future generations.