The Brazilian three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus), known locally as tatu-bola or ball armadillo, is found only in eastern Brazil, mostly south of the equator and rarely seen west of 50 degrees west longitude. Linnaeus first described the species in 1758. It is one of only two armadillo species able to roll itself into a complete defensive ball, the other being the southern three-banded armadillo. It lives in the open savannahs of the Cerrado and the dry woodlands of the Caatinga, habitats with sparse vegetation, scattered bushes and gnarled trees. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable, threatened by habitat destruction for livestock, hunting, agricultural expansion, mining and charcoal collection.
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