Tolypeutes matacus
Silhouette: Celeste Luna · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
The southern three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus), also known as La Plata three-banded armadillo or Azara's domed armadillo, is an armadillo species from South America. It is found in parts of northern Argentina, southwestern Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia, at elevations from sea level to 770 m (2,530 ft).
The southern three-banded armadillo and the other member of the genus Tolypeutes, the Brazilian three-banded armadillo, are the only species of armadillos capable of rolling into a complete ball to defend themselves. The three characteristic bands that cover the back of the animal allow it enough flexibility to fit its tail and head together, allowing it to protect its underbelly, limbs, eyes, nose and ears from predators. The shell covering its body is armored and the outer layer is made out of keratin, the same protein that builds human fingernails. They are typically a yellow or brownish color. They are among the smaller armadillos, with a head-and-body length of about 22 to 27 cm (8.7 to 10.6 in) and a weight between 1 and 1.6 kg (2.2 and 3.5 lb). Unlike most armadillos, they are not fossorial, but will use abandoned giant anteater burrows.
The three-banded armadillo has a long, sticky, straw-like pink tongue that allows it to gather up and eat many different species of insects, typically ants and termites. In captivity, armadillos also eat foods such as fruits and vegetables.
The species is threatened by habitat destruction from conversion of its native Dry Chaco to farmland, and from hunting for food and the pet trade. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Impenetrable National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | ZooParc de Beauval | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Copenhagen Zoo | 🇩🇰 Denmark | |
| 4 | Zoo Pilsen | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 5 | San Diego Zoo Safari Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Minnesota Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Milwaukee County Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Toledo Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Louisville Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Caldwell Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Edinburgh Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 13 | Almaty Zoo | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | |
| 14 | Edmonton Valley Zoo | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 15 | Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Akron Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 17 | Faunia | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 18 | Rosamond Gifford Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 19 | Rivne Zoo | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | |
| 20 | Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 21 | The Living Planet Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 22 | Glen Echo Park Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
No species of the same family or order lives in El Impenetrable National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other mammals.
Likely
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Three-banded Armadillo sighting in El Impenetrable National Park on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 13 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and July
In those months about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Three-banded Armadillo in El Impenetrable National Park on a given day, against under 5% in November, the lowest month. Those are among El Impenetrable National Park's driest months, with about 30 mm of rain a month against 120 mm in March.
Between 5 and 8 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southern Three-banded Armadillo sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Only El Impenetrable National Park, in our data
El Impenetrable National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Southern Three-banded Armadillo sightings: about 50% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Three-banded Armadillo is recorded against all the mammals logged in El Impenetrable National Park (18 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
