Brazil Vs Mexico - Dillon The Armadillo's World Cup Predictions

We've been analyzing Dillon's recent prediction performances and concluded that it must be down to his lack of world flag knowledge. We've shaken up the format a little bit to help our little armored friend out. Today Dillon will be aided by two little footballing pals.... come on Dillon, we still believe!

Brazil Vs Mexico - Dillon The Armadillo's World Cup Predictions

buzzfeed.com

Have you joined the crowds and gone football crazy? If so forget about Fuleco, the world cup mascot, we have our very own Southern three-banded armadillo called Dillon and he has been busy predicting some of the world cup results.

The southern three banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus) is commonly found from eastern Bolivia and south-western Brazil, south through to Paraguay, and Buenos Aires in Argentina.

They are one of two armadillo species that are able to roll into a ball, the other being the Brazilian three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus), which is what Fuleco is.

The armour-plating that covers their body is divided into two domed shells, with three armoured bands in between, joined by stretchy bands of skin. This allows the body to bend in the middle and allowing the lower edges of the two shells to form a ball. The bony plates covering the head and tail then neatly fitting together into a gap between the body shells closing it completely.

The RZSS in partnership with IPE (a Brazilian NGO, Institute for Ecological Research) established the Pantanal Giant Armadillo Project in 2010 and are conducting an ecological study on this secretive animal, which virtually nothing is known about.

This is the only project in the world focused on this species and they are currently classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The main goal of the project is to investigate the ecology and biology of the species and understand its role within the ecosystem using radio transmitters, camera traps, burrow surveys and more...

To find out more about the RZSS and their work on the Pantanal Giant Armadillo Project please visit the RZSS website

http://www.rzss.org.uk/conservation-programmes/projects/current-projects/giant-armadillo-project

How You Can Help

Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park are owned and operated by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, a registered conservation charity. We work to safeguard species around the globe but we couldn't do this without your help. By visiting, adopting, donating and volunteering, you are helping us to achieve our charitable aims.

For more information about the various ways that you can help please visit the support us section of the website.

http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/support-us/