Nine-banded Armadillo
Dasypus novemcinctus

The nine-banded armadillo is a familiar site in the southeastern and southwestern parts of the United States.  Often considered to be pests, armadillos have strong, sharp claws that they use to help them burrow into the soil.  When threatened by a predator, armadillos have a few fascinating ways of protecting themselves including rolling into a ball and jumping up in the air.  Armadillos belong to a group of mammals called Edentates, which also include anteaters and sloths.