Nine-banded Armadillo Excitement At Osage Hills State Park

I was thrilled to see and photograph a Nine-banded Armadillo last week at Osage Hills State Park in Oklahoma. The last time I photographed one was in Florida. That would have been in 2009.

Nine-banded Armadillo close up at Osage Hills State Park – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/1600, ISO 1600, +0.7 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light

Until now, I hadn’t shared any Nine-banded Armadillo photos or created a photo gallery for these strange-looking mammals. Now I do. I’ll round up some of the photos I took of them in Florida when or if I find some spare time.

Nine-banded Armadillos have distinctive armor-like shells, consisting of bony plates covered in leathery skin. They have 9 visible bands (though this can vary from 8 to 11), a long snout, small eyes, large pointed ears, and short legs with strong claws.

These armadillos can do a lot of damage in yards and gardens when they dig for small invertebrates. They also eat some fruits, small reptiles, amphibians, and the eggs of ground nesting birds.

Nine-banded Armadillos are often called “armored possums” or “Texas speedbumps” due to their appearance and tendency to be hit by cars.

Adult Nine-banded Armadillo walking at Osage Hills State Park – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/2500, ISO 1600, +0.3 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light

The habitat at Osage Hills State Park must be great for Nine-banded Armadillos because we saw them quite frequently or we saw where they had been digging.

Seeing my first armadillo at the park was exciting—I could barely speak. I hopped out of the pickup and walked over to photograph the armadillo as quickly as I could. I’d been waiting months to have a live one in my viewfinder.

My friend and wonderful wildlife photographer Steve Creek shared some images and information about these fascinating creatures and the park on his site: Starting the New Year at Osage Hills State Park

I can barely wait to see and photograph more Nine-banded Armadillos!

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Nine-banded Armadillo photos plus facts and information about this species. I’ll be adding more images to the gallery as I find more armadillos.

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