You hear it first, a determined rustling in the dark, and then a low grey shape that looks like it wandered off a medieval battlefield. Locals call it the cusuco.
Where you’ll see it
Gardens at night, forest floor, and roadsides after dark. In daylight you mostly see the evidence: neat cone-shaped holes in the lawn where one has been after grubs.
What to know
Armadillos have poor eyesight and a very good nose, so they often do not register a person until the last moment, at which point they either freeze or bolt with surprising speed. Neither is aggressive. They cannot really bite you and they would rather not try.
The holes are the only nuisance and they are harmless to the garden. Refill them or do not. Dogs will chase them and rarely catch them.
