First estimates of potential lifespan of giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) in the wild

Abstract

This paper reports on results from two camera trapping initiatives where individual giant armadillos, Priodontes maximus, were identified and monitored over multiple years, thus providing insights into their potential lifespan. One camera trap array was located in the Brazilian Pantanal, in Mato Grosso do Sul, where an adult female was first identified in October 2011 and documented again in January 2021, leading us to estimate her age as at least 17.5 years old. The other camera trap array was located at the border of the Chaco alluvial plains in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where a female was first registered in June 2004 and then again in January 2019; we estimate her age to be at least 18 years old. While recognizing that these two data points are insufficient to evaluate life expectancy of the species, this paper does provide the first evidence of potential lifespan of wild P. maximus. It also shows that both females were documented in the same area after intervals of 10 and 15 years, providing new clues on long-term site fidelity. This paper highlights the importance of long-term camera trap arrays for the study of cryptic nocturnal mammals that are long lived and occur at low densities.