In 2017, a new population of the threatened Brazilian three-banded armadillo was discovered in the Chapada Diamantina, one of the most touristic regions of Brazil, situated in the Caatinga dry forests of the northeast region of the country. This population was then targeted for research and conservation projects conducted participatorily with local communities.

With the participation of local residents, a monitoring programme using camera traps and active searches for three-banded armadillos was started, which revealed not only a surprisingly large population of the species but also the occurrence of 12 other threatened mammal and bird species in the region, some of them with very limited knowledge about their populations in the Caatinga and/or highly threatened in this biome, such as the giant anteater and the jaguar.

Moreover, a method for searching and capturing three-banded armadillos was developed, with approximately 100% capture success. This method allowed for the monitoring of the health of individual three-banded armadillos and the collection of a series of biological samples for research on the species’ biology. Meanwhile, with support from local communities, it represented an opportunity to build a scientific tourism initiative, in which tourists could follow the monitoring activities and see this curious species in nature.