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Baby Lou battles a pair of hekkin sunglasses

Of the 20 varieties of armadillo, all but one live in Latin America. The familiar nine-banded armadillo is the only species that includes the United States in its range. Armadillo is a Spanish word that means "small armor" and refers to the bone plates that cover the back, head, legs, and tail of most of these strange creatures. The armadillo is the only living mammal with this kind of shell. Armadillos are closely related to anteaters and sloths. They usually have a pointed or shovel-shaped nose and small eyes. They vary greatly in size and color, from the 6-inch salmon-colored pink fairy armadillo to the 5-foot-long dark brown giant armadillo. Others are black, red, gray or light yellow. Contrary to popular belief, not all armadillos can wrap themselves in a shell. In fact, only a three-banded armadillo can bend its head and hind feet and twist its shell into a hard ball, confusing potential predators. Armadillos live in temperate and warm habitats, including rainforests, grasslands and semi-deserts. Because of their low metabolic rate and no fat storage, cold is their enemy, and un-mild weather can overwhelm the entire population.