Armadillo Antics

When you think of animals that can walk underwater, you probably imagine crabs, frogs, or even hippos. But here's a surprise from the wild world of nature: armadillos can do it too—and with surprising skill.

The nine-banded armadillo, found across the southern United States, is already a fascinating little creature with its armored shell and dig-happy paws. But it turns out these guys have a quirky superpower: they can cross rivers and streams by literally walking along the bottom.

How? Their bodies are relatively dense, so instead of floating like many animals, they can sink and stroll along the riverbed, holding their breath for up to six minutes! It’s not graceful, but it gets the job done.

Even cooler, if the riverbed isn’t ideal for walking along, armadillos have a backup plan. They can gulp air into their intestines to inflate themselves like a life raft. This makes them buoyant enough to paddle across bodies of water. Nature really went wild with the design on this one.

So whether they’re walking the river floor or floating like a log, armadillos have water crossing nailed. The next time you see one shuffling through the brush, just imagine it casually strolling across a stream like a tiny, armored scuba diver.