Do Armadillos Carry Leprosy? Lesson 148

Eryn Lynum (0:00)

You can print this lesson's free coloring sheet at the link in our show notes and color along as you listen. And guess what? It's book launch week. My new children's chapter book, Where Wonder Leads is available now. You can order a signed copy at nattheo.com/wonder.

Join Willow and Casper as they adventure through God's wild and wonderful world, encountering creatures like axolotls, chameleons, caterpillars, and fireflies, while learning from scientists and naturalists who help them connect creation to our creator. Each chapter includes magnifying moment science highlights, dig deeper Bible studies, and time to explore outdoor activities to help you grow in faith, wonder, and your skills as a young naturalist. Order your signed copy at nattheo.com/wonder.

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Are you ready to explore God's wild and wonderful world? Welcome to the Nat Theo Podcast. I'm your host, Eryn Lynum. I'm a certified Master Naturalist, Bible teacher and author. And I am so excited to dive into God's written word, the Bible, and his created world, with you.

Have you ever met twins? Maybe you are a twin. What about triplets? When I was in high school, one of my friends was a triplet. So two of her siblings were born at the same time she was.

What about quadruplets? Four babies at the same time. Today, we are meeting an animal that in the case of one species, only ever gives birth to quadruplets. Four identical babies at the same time. This animal also has built-in armor, and it can march along the bottom of a river bed. This is quite the creature. Can you guess what it is? We are learning about the Armadillo. Here is our trail map.

SPEAKER_2 (2:51)

Are you ready?

Eryn Lynum (2:53)

We are going to learn, why does an Armadillo have a shell?

Are Armadillos born with a shell? Do Armadillos carry leprosy? And why is there disease in the world?

Before we hit the trail, let's thank our sponsors who help make this lesson possible, including CTCMath. Did you know that God made math, then used math to create everything in the universe? I would say math is important. And when we work to understand how God made math, we can better appreciate and enjoy his wild and wonderful world.

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When I was young, I loved looking through World Atlas books and learning about this wild and wonderful planet. I wish I had had the Children's Atlas of God's World by Master Books. This amazing Bible-based atlas is packed with unique insights into Christian history makers and amazing landmarks. Kids explore the design of ecosystems and biomes, great civilizations, and discoveries found around the world. I'm so glad I have this book now to enjoy with my own kids. The full-color, visually engaging book serves as both an elementary curriculum and a valued reference tool. Discover the wonders of this world through a biblical lens with the Children's Atlas of God's World, and every book and curriculum by Master Books at masterbooks.com or at the link in our show notes. It's time for our trivia question.

How much does the largest species of Armadillo weigh?

A. 25 pounds or 11 kilograms. B. 75 pounds or 34 kilograms. C. 150 pounds or 68 kilograms. D. 300 pounds or 136 kilograms. Again, how much does the largest species of Armadillo weigh? A. 25 pounds. B. 75 pounds. C. 150 pounds or D. 300 pounds. Take a guess and we will find out at the end of today's lesson. And Nat Theo Club members, after this lesson, click over to the bonus video. We will look closer at how Armadillos find their food, why they dig, and we will meet the smallest Armadillo in the world, the pink fairy Armadillo. You can find that bonus video in your Nat Theo Club dashboard or at the link in our show notes. All right, let's hit the trail.

A few weeks ago, I got to see my very first live Armadillo in the wild and it was so cool. I was teaching at a conference in Texas and one morning on a walk, I watched an Armadillo poking around in the grass in search of food. One of our listeners asked about this.