First recorded birth of a giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) under human care and notes on fetal characteristics and neonatal care.

Abstract

Information on breeding under human care is essential for conservation efforts, particularly for endangered species such as the giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus). Key aspects of its reproductive biology, such as neonate size, weight, and early development, remain largely undocumented. This study presents two case reports of P. maximus neonates and one of an unborn individual. The first documented birth of a giant armadillo under human care was documented in Colombia, where a pregnant female was rescued from the wild. We describe details of this neonate, along with observations of an unborn fetus found in the eastern Colombian plains and the artificial hand-rearing of a neonate rescued in Tocantins, Brazil. The information presented here offers valuable insight for future efforts to breed and maintain this elusive species under human care, an increasingly important strategy for conservation and for understanding aspects of its natural history.