It’s not often you see two armadillos, so imagine my surprise when I came across not one, but three of them together in a field. I had read that armadillos only get together to mate or to keep warm.
How I Got the Picture
I was driving through the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge when I spotted these three armadillos. I pulled over, got out of my pickup truck, and walked up to them from behind. I wanted to take a picture of them together, and I was able to snap this photo before they went their separate ways. I was holding my camera and lens by hand.
I entered this photo in a contest at the National Wildlife Refuge and was happy to receive an honorable mention because the judges thought the photo was funny.
Seeing three armadillos together is a pretty uncommon sight, because these animals are usually solitary creatures. There could be a few reasons why three armadillos might be hanging out together.
One possibility is that they’re trying to stay warm. When it’s cold out, armadillos have been known to huddle together to share body heat. They might be snuggling up to each other like a group of friends trying to stay warm on a chilly day.
Another possibility is that they’re mating. Male armadillos might follow a female and try to win her over, and they could be hanging out together as part of this courtship.
Finally, the three armadillos might just be siblings who haven’t separated yet after leaving their mother.
Regardless of the reason, seeing three armadillos together is a pretty special and unexpected event!
Technical Details:
• Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (Oklahoma)
• Date Taken: June 12, 2009
• Aperture: f4
• Shutter speed: 1/320 sec.
• ISO: 400
• Exposure Bias: 0 EV
• Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
• Focal Length: 500 mm
• Lens: Canon EF 500 mm f/4L IS
• Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Here is another photo I made of an Armadillo that I found at the refuge: Armadillo Close-up Profile