Armadillos use their sharp, strong claws to dig for food and construct elaborate burrows underneath the ground.

No, that’s not a dinosaur. Or dragon. Or Pokémon. It’s a baby southern three-ringed armadillo, born at the Virginia Zoo in August. It’s the second pup born to its mother, Izel, and father, Vigo.

WHAT THE SHELL?: Sightings of nine-banded armadillos, a species native to South and Central America, are becoming increasingly common in Western North Carolina. Photo by Jay Butfiloski, courtesy of ...

Armadillos can live up to 30 years in the wild. Armadillos mainly eat insects. They have strong claws and can dig burrows 20 feet long, in which they sleep up to 16 hours a day. When threatened, ...