Southern_Three_Banded_Armadillo_001.jpg: Ltshears derivative work: MAU · CC BY-SA 3.0Southern three-banded armadillo
Tolypeutes matacus · tatu boli
The armadillo that rolls itself into a perfect ball for defense.
What it is
A small armadillo with three movable bands, the tatú bolita is one of only two armadillos able to close up completely into an armored ball, with head and tail fitting in like lids. Rather than digging its own burrows, it usually borrows those of other animals. It lives in the Dry Chaco and is on the national list of threatened mammals.
Did you know…?
When it rolls up, the plates on its head and tail fit together like lids, leaving almost no weak spots exposed.
Where
The Dry and Central Chaco: Teniente Enciso, Médanos and Defensores del Chaco, and rural roads in Boquerón at dusk.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 3 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.