Winter 2025: Armadillo status reclassification and outreach
Posted 21 Jan 2026
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Our charity has worked with Dr Arnaud Desbiez and his team at the Wildlife Conservation Institute (ICAS) in Brazil for over a decade to safeguard threatened giant anteaters, giant armadillos and their rapidly disappearing habitat. This team has made incredible strides in making habitats and roads safer for giant anteaters, and discovered nearly everything that is currently known about giant armadillos.
Arnaud recently updated us the organisation’s ongoing work with beekeepers, successes for their intern program and road safety work. Most pressingly, he talks on the work undertaken with Brazil’s government and the desperate situation of the local giant armadillo population.
Brazil’s National Action Plan and Red Listing
We have participated in two initiatives led by the federal government. One was the final evaluation of the National Action Plan for Giant Armadillos and Giant Anteaters, initiated five years ago. Our organisation played a significant role in implementing the plan's actions - we were responsible for 24 of the 31 actions. We look forward to the forthcoming action planning exercise scheduled for May 2026.
The second was an assessment of the national red list status for Brazil's xenarthrans (armadillos, sloths and anteaters). Giant armadillos and giant anteaters continue to be listed as Vulnerable to extinction in Brazil, as they are internationally. Our data played a key role in making these evaluations, particularly in assessing the impact of vehicle collisions and the spread of monocultures, such as soy. We are compiling an official text to establish a regional category for both species, listing them as Endangered within the Cerrado biome. In the Atlantic Forest, the giant armadillo is listed as Critically Endangered.
During the workshop we made an unsettling discovery: the Southern three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus) required an urgent reclassification. The IUCN Red List and the Brazilian government classify as Near Threatened, yet the species only occurs in two states of Brazil: Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. Over the past five years, out-of-control fires and habitat conversion has more than halved this habitat. As a result, the species is being reclassified from Near Threatened to Endangered. This makes it the most endangered armadillo species in Brazil.
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This was a huge shock to the ICAS team. We feel we are losing a species of armadillo from our backyard, given that most of its distribution in Brazil is in our state. While the species is found in Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina, it may become extinct in Brazil. I have only seen this species in the wild once, almost 20 years ago.
This species is found in many of our partner zoo collections and is often used as an ambassador animal for the public. We will need to develop a plan, and we must do so quickly.
Armadillos and honey outreach
Our armadillos and honey team participated in November’s ‘Território dos Saberes: Meeting of Beekeepers and Meliponiculturists of Mato Grosso do Sul,’ held in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
Meliponiculture is the practice of beekeeping with stingless bees. It is distinct from honeybee keeping, which is known as apiculture.
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The event is a major congress for these activities in our state. The event brought together producers, technicians, researchers, students and public managers from across the bee production sector. The focus was on promoting knowledge exchange, strengthening the sector and discussing the primary challenges facing beekeeping and meliponiculture in the state today.
Cantered on the theme “Climate and Economic Challenges,” the gathering provided important reflections on the impacts of climate change on production, trade and tariff barriers, as well as the crucial role of bees in food security and ecosystem sustainability. It was a pleasure to participate in this inspiring event, surrounded by dedicated beekeepers - many of whom are valued partners and friends of the giant armadillo.
Mitigation measures on the roads
I attended a meeting where the wildlife mitigation measures for BR 262, an east-west highway in Brazil, were presented. These measures include 170 kilometres of fencing, 10 new underpasses, seven overpasses and adaptations to existing structures to help guide animals safely.
The first fences are currently being installed, marking a significant milestone for us in 2025. We have been monitoring and lobbying for this to happen for the past 10 years. It was great participating in the presentation of the plan, and we need to celebrate every small victory!
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Winning streak for our internship program
For the past two years, we have offered a range of multidisciplinary conservation training experiences, directed towards aspiring conservationists from our state, Mato Grosso do Sul. Priority is given to the diversity and inclusion of historical minorities in conservation. We have now offered almost 15 paid internship opportunities.
Due to this work, ICAS was recognized at the IEL Talent Award 2025 – regional stage, receiving first place in two categories: Innovative Internship and Innovative Intern. We ranked 11th out of 759 entries for the most innovative internship program in Brazil, and our intern, Mateus Stanley, was one of the three finalists. He travelled to Recife with two members of our team and won second place! I am so proud of him and our internship program.
