Brazilian Three-banded Armadillo (ANIA Animal Adventure by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S.)

Review and images by Sam; edited by bmathison1972

The Brazilian three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus) is a species of armadillo endemic to eastern Brazil, where it can be found in the caatinga and cerrado biomes. Contrary to popular belief, it is one of only two species of armadillo that can roll up into a ball for defense, along with the La Plata three-banded armadillo. It is referred to by the locals as tatú-bola, which translates to “ball armadillo” in reference to its defense mechanism. The Brazilian three-banded armadillo is an insectivore, and its primary food sources are ants and termites, which it finds using its strong sense of smell and powerful claws to dig into mounds and nests, along with occasional beetle larvae, worms, and fruit during the rainy season. While its bony armor protects them from most animals, large mammals like jaguars, pumas, and maned wolves have successfully hunted individuals. This species is listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List, with habitat destruction for agriculture and development posing a threat to the species.

Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. released a line of animal figures called ANIA to help teach children about wildlife. These figures are highly-detailed, inexpensive, and accurate to the animals they represent, and that holds true with their representation of the Brazilian three-banded armadillo, the subject of today’s review. I named my armadillo “Ronaldo,” and he will be referred to as such throughout the review.

Ronaldo is small, but it has a lot of attention-to-detail. He has a cute face with black eyes, a pig-like nose, a wide mouth, and large ears. The ear size on this specimen is accurate.

Like the real animal, he is covered in bony plates called scutes, forming an accurately-sculpted carapace. There are three bands in the center of the carapace, hence the common name of the species.

This specimen has large front claws, which is used for digging and burrowing. His underside has a feature that is rather unique on armadillo toy figures: there is texturing to represent the hairy underside of armadillos.

The most notable feature of Ronaldo is that he is articulated. He can roll up into a ball, just like the real animal. This makes him a good fidget toy, and I use him for that reason.

Overall, Ronaldo is a very accurate representation of a Brazilian three-banded armadillo, with lots of attention-to-detail packed into such a small figure and of course the articulation. I highly recommend him to anybody who loves animals, collects animal figures, or is looking for a unique fidget toy. There are not many Brazilian three-banded armadillo figures on the market due to the species’ obscurity—let alone armadillo figures with this much detail—which makes this figure more special and unique. The figure is currently available on eBay, which is where I purchased Ronaldo, so go out and add this unique animal to your collection today!