Armadillos belong to the same broader mammal lineage as anteaters and sloths, all of which evolved in South America in relative isolation before some species expanded northward.
Conservation status varies by species — while the nine-banded armadillo remains widespread and even expanding its range, several South American species, including the giant armadillo, are Vulnerable due to habitat loss and hunting.
Armadillo burrows, like those of many burrowing mammals, are often reused by other wildlife once abandoned, making the species an indirect contributor to local biodiversity.
