Different types of animals have developed different defense mechanisms over time. One of these is to roll into a ball to escape threats from predators. Perhaps you’d like to know more about some of the animals that display this behavior. If so, keep reading as we explore our list of top 10 animals that roll into a ball.
What You'll Learn Today
1. Armadillo
Armadillos are cute armored mammals native to the American continents. There are 21 distinct armadillo species found in North, Central, and South America.
Armadillos are often the first animals people think of when they imagine creatures rolling into balls. In reality, though, only three-banded armadillos, native to South America, have this ability.
Three-banded armadillos rely solely on their armor to protect them from predators, and the ability to roll into balls is an important part of how they defend themselves. By rolling up tightly, they are able to tuck away softer and more vulnerable parts of their body so only their hard outer shells are exposed.
2. Pangolin
Sometimes called scaly anteaters, pangolins are also often confused with armadillos. They are medium to large armored mammals native to Asia and Africa.
Pangolins are an endangered species and are often the target of illegal poaching; that said, they have a natural defense thanks to the sharp scales covering their bodies. To protect themselves from danger, they sometimes roll into tight balls, covering their faces with their armored tails.
Pangolin scales are made of keratin, the same material comprising human nails. When pangolins roll into balls, their scales become sharper, adding an extra layer of defense to keep them safe.
3. Hedgehog
Hedgehogs are adorable little mammals that look similar to tiny porcupines. There are 17 hedgehog species found in the wild in Africa, Asia, New Zealand, and Europe.
A hedgehog’s sharp quills are made of keratin and tend to stick out more when the animal rolls into a ball. After rolling up, hedgehogs will sometimes ram into potential predators, stabbing them with their quills and scaring them off.
Sometimes, hedgehogs also resort to trickery to keep predators away. In a process called “anointing,” they will smear their quills with various scents from the environment to confuse and deter predators.
4. Pill Millipede
There are hundreds of species of pill millipedes comprising two large orders. These highly common creatures are found throughout the world and look similar to pill bugs and woodlice.
Pill millipedes have much shorter bodies than other types of millipedes; their bodies are divided into sections, rounded on top and flat on the underside. These physical characteristics allow the invertebrates to roll into tight balls when disturbed, allowing them to protect themselves with their hard outer shells.
Not only does the hard armor protect the pill millipede from the intrusion of predators, it also makes the creature a more undesirable snack. After all, it’s harder to swallow the pill millipede when it’s rolled into a ball than when it’s stretched out.
5. Chiton
Chitons are mollusks found in oceans and on shores throughout the world. There are more than 900 extant species of the creatures, which are sometimes called sea cradles or suck-rocks due to their shape and behavior.
Chitons are protected by hard shells divided into moveable segments. This segmentation allows them to roll into balls whenever they are touched or forcibly removed from rocks.
Chitons are prey animals for a variety of fish and crabs as well as humans, so their ability to roll into tight balls helps to keep them safe. They themselves commonly feed on algae and bacteria in the water.
6. Armadillo Girdled Lizard
Armadillo girdled lizards are known by a variety of names. They are small to medium-sized reptiles native to desert regions along South Africa’s west coast.
These armored lizards face threats from a variety of predators, but they are practically invulnerable when they roll into balls. Their sharp, segmented armor acts as both shield and weapon to make predators think twice before chowing down on them.
Armadillo girdled lizards are unique among animals on this list in that they put their tails in their mouths when they roll up. This gives them a rather adorable appearance, but it serves their purpose of self defense quite well.
7. Trilobite Beetle
These beetles belong to the Platerodrilus genus and are found in tropical forests throughout parts of Asia. Their flat, scaled bodies make them look like the extinct trilobites, hence their common name.
These beetles are covered in thin but hard exoskeletons that resemble plate armor, giving them the flexibility to manipulate their bodies into flexible positions. This allows them to roll into tight, impenetrable balls to escape from predators.
Though trilobite beetles have similar rolling abilities as pill bugs, they are not closely related to them.
8. Golden Wheel Spider
Golden wheel spiders are native to the Namib Desert in the southern regions of Africa. They are named for their unique mode of escaping from predators that is reminiscent of a wheel.
Golden wheel spiders turn themselves on their sides and roll down sand dunes, reaching speeds of up to one meter per second. This helps them get away from pompilid wasps, their primary predators.
These interesting spiders are also unique in that they don’t produce webs. Instead, they come out at night to free-range for prey.
9. Isopod
Isopods are any of more than 10,000 species of aquatic or land-based crustaceans. They include creatures like pill bugs and woodlice.
Land-based isopods tend to live in damp environments; if their habitat dries up, they roll into balls to conserve moisture. They may also roll into balls to escape from predators.
Some types of isopods are kept as pets or to maintain clean habitats for pet reptiles. These unique creatures are found throughout the world.
10. Chinchilla
Chinchillas are rodents found in the Andes Mountains of South America. There are two distinct species, and some of them have the ability to roll into balls.
When these creatures become frightened or feel threatened, they will curl their bodies into tight balls, wrapping their bushy tails over their heads. This behavior discourages predators from disturbing them, so it serves as an essential survival skill in the wild.
Chinchillas are known for having incredibly soft, dense fur and have become fairly rare in the wild due to hunters in search of their fur. To learn more about chinchillas and other animals that can roll into balls, check out the video below:
Conclusion
A surprising number of creatures have the ability to roll themselves into balls. These animals include armadillos, pill millipedes, isopods, and hedgehogs.
