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Animal Themes
Mammals
Grasslands
 Armadillos

Armadillos
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 6 to 8
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   9.57

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    carrion, misperception, naked-tailed, run-in, self-imposed, timeframe, tough-looking, latter, moreover, postpone, underside, likewise, transverse, passion, carapace, flowerbeds
     content words:    South America, Central America, United States, North America

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Armadillos   
1     Armadillos are tough-looking mammals. To fortify their image, they wear armor (also called carapace) made of hard, bony plates. Of the 20 different species, some have transverse bands in the middle of their bodies, but others do not. The number of such bands each species has often becomes part of its name. For example, the three-banded armadillo has three bands. Likewise, the six-banded armadillo has six bands. The nine-banded armadillo, however, does not always follow the rule. It may have eight or nine bands.
 
2     Armadillos live in grasslands or forested areas. Originally, they were restricted to South America. Yet, throughout the course of thousands of years, two managed to expand their habitats to include Central America as well. The two species are the northern naked-tailed armadillo and the nine-banded armadillo. While the former has been content with its newfound territory ever since it arrived in Central America, the latter was not satisfied. In the 1800s, the nine-banded armadillo made its debut in the United States, deeming it the only armadillo species found in North America. The nine-banded armadillo now thrives in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and several other southern states.
 
3     Armadillos love digging! Thanks to their strong feet and sharp claws, they have no problem excavating earth to uncover food or to construct their underground homes (burrows). Their residences can be more than 20 feet long and 5 feet below the ground. Of course, because of their passion for burrowing, armadillos are often blamed for ruining flowerbeds, lawns, and crop fields laboriously planted by gardeners and farmers. Hence, they are sometimes considered pests.

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