Article: BOINNGG! HERE COME THE ARMADILLOS : Would a hopping armored tank with long claws, pointy ears, and a funny face scare you? Armadillos suddenly leap wa-a-ay up to frighten their enemies. And that's just one of the weird tricks these cat-sized creatures use to survive.(Brief Article)

Armadillo means "little armored one" in Spanish. That armor has helped armadillos survive for millions of years. An armadillo's head, shoulders, and rear end are covered with bony plates that are about as hard as a turtle's shell. It also has bony bands running across the middle of its back and on its tail. The bands let it bend the way a knight could move in his armor. The armor helps protect armadillos when they dash into thorny bushes to escape enemies. And only a few animals, such as jaguars and big dogs, can bite through it. But if an enemy bites an armadillo's soft belly--too bad for the 'dillo!

9 ARE FINE In the United States we have nine-banded ...

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