Today in animals you might not believe are real (but are!): the pink fairy armadillo. This species (Chlamyphorus truncatus) grows to just about 6 inches long, making them the smallest armadillos in the world.
They are found only in central Argentina, and because they’re nocturnal and spend a lot of time burrowing underground, the elusive creatures are difficult to study.
Like other armadillos, pink fairy armadillos have a shell (or carapace) but theirs is softer, thinner and more flexible. The shell’s color comes from blood vessels close to the surface.
source credit: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
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“always be yourself unless you can be an armadillo,
then always be an armadillo.”
-author unknown
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some animals are so unusual, it’s hard to believe they’re real.
what’s the most interesting/unusual animal you’ve ever encountered?
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It’s so cute.
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it is, especially knowing that it’s only 6 inches long
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Yes!
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Well this little guy can give the platypus a run for the most unusual for sure. Love the quote, as always! Great post Beth!
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ooh, I think you’re right. and the naked mole rat as well –
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Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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danke
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What a unreal one. Looks very funny, but i am sure the claws are not only fashionable. 😉 Thank you for sharing this information, Beth. Have a beautiful weekend! Michael
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thanks, Michael. it looks almost like it’s wearing an outfit -)
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You mean I made a mistake in telling my teenage daughter, “NO! You cannot dye your hair pink.”
And now after 35 years I can give her permission and we can speak to one another again?
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go for it!
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Is it wrong that I hoped for a Pink Panther mention in this blog? LOL
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I know, based on the title…. and I was a huge pink panther fan too
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How amazing is that!
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the natural world continues to amaze me
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Indeed
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Thank you for the lesson, Beth. I never would have met this creature otherwise.
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this could be helpful on a trivia night sometime in your future )
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LOLOLOOL are you kidding me…..shes kind of cute!!!!!
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she is!! or he
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It almost appears to be something created from left over parts, but ending up being absolutely adorable after all.
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oh, i so agree – well said
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I never knew that there are animals called pink armadillos who are actually pink!
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new to me, too –
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Happy weekend Beth ♥
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Great post. Love the quote.
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Thanks, Goff
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Cheers.
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That is incredible! Where did you hear or see about them? Kind of cute but in a weird way.
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Smithsonian
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your post made me go out and look for the weirdest animals. I found this list, and the pink armadillo is on it! It’s hard to pick from such a list, but I think I’d have to go with the axolotl.
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I’m glad little pinky made it! What’s an axolotl?
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here ya go: https://ninjajournalist.com/science/weird-animals-fb/
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thank you so much, it is incredibly cute!
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indeed it is…
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That’s amazing. So tiny. The weirdest critter I’ve ever encountered was a manta ray two times my size. Once my heart slowed down, it was utterly fascinating to watch.
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That must have been stunning
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Wow!
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Yes!
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I never realized armadillos had so much fur until now. This little one shows a lot of it. Very interesting!
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Surprising in so many ways
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I confess. I thought this was a joke when I first saw the picture.
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Right – it looks like it has a little outfit on
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I seriously did not know that this animal existed!
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It’s so cute!
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The most unusual animals I’ve encountered are humans. They are not very bright, kill everything. Eat everything, hate, lie, cheat, are greedy, make up gods, hoard, are exceptionally violent, are mentally unstable and have few, if any redeeming traits. All the other animals I’ve come across are rather nice. I’m crazy about the pink armadillo. Sweet.
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I’m so with you
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I love this little thing. Thank you for introducing us.
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It is utterly charming- my pleasure
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wow! that’s so cool…when we were in AZ, I walked out of our house one day, and their was the biggest spider I’d ever seen, it was larger than my hand, and almost looked like a cross between a spider and a…I have no idea. it was wild…
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Wow!!
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They are also an endangered species due to habitat loss and domestic dogs attacking them. “Armadillo” is Spanish for “little armored one” and they aslo have the nickname “Sand Swimmer” because they can dig so fast. More info here: https://animalia.bio/pink-fairy-armadillo#:~:text=The%20smallest%20of%20the%20armadillo%20family%2C%20the%20Pink,that%20is%20almost%20completely%20separate%20from%20the%20body.
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I hope they make it – thank you for sharing
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What an unusual looking animal – so furry on the bottom and so little! This cute little armadillo doesn’t even look real but how cool to know it is. Thanks so much for sharing, Beth. I hope you are doing well 🙂
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Thanks, I agree and I am )
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🙂
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This is adorable. I think every kindergarten and preschool class needs one. 💕
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Yes!!!!!
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😀
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It looks like pink corduroy!
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It really does!
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You are the best teacher. I would never have known ‘this’ one. And I can’t say I’ve encountered anything more unusual. Though they likely exist.
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I am learning right along with you. and I believe the more unusual certainly exist in our world –
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I agree. And I love that there is so much diversity and ‘unusual’. I wonder how unusual ‘we’ look to other creatures?
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a great point
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Beth, i think i will only believe this when i see it ! We must plan ourselves a trip to see one in the pinky plush flesh ! xxx miss g.
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sounds like as good a reason as any!
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It’s kinda cute
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really cute
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That armadillo is so cute. The strangest creature I ever laid eyes on was a duck-billed platypus on a friend’s farm near Canberra. It was evening and I thought it was a beaver at first. Then thought I was loosing my mind. Made my friend’s children laugh so hard they rolled on the ground.
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I’ve never seen one in person, I most likely would have the same reaction
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Incredible creation! God is amazing!
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Yes!
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Wow! The natural world is so full of beautiful mystery. I love these little creatures. Who knows what else is hiding.
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I’m sure there are many things still waiting to be discovered
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What a cute tiny creature! I’ve never heard of them before. When I first saw your picture I didn’t believe it to be real! Many armadillos migrated in my lifetime from Texas to Missouri. This little girl/gal would need help with transportation to ever be near here!
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me either, but Smithsonian says it’s so)
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💛
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I think this might be a new favourite animal of mine – thanks so much for sharing! I love learning about unique and interesting animals like this – me and my mother like to do a new museum visit every month because we both love to discover and explore things like this. XD I really loved that quote too. ❤
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i’m so glad, and wonderful that you and your mother continue to discover
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I thought it was a Guinea pig in a Halloween costume! 😐
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it is rather odd looking )
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