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armadillos go north! Due to climate change and warming climates, the nine-banded armadillo is moving north.
the weather channel reported on Nov. 22, 2021 that armadillos can now be found in 15 states. Why? As the weather warms, the viable habitat of armadillos expands. This means that northern states are becoming hospitable to the armored critters.
However, this isn’t the first time armadillos have moved with the changing climate. The animal has a long history of expansion.
The first recorded evidence of armadillo expansion dates back to 1850. It was at this time that the first animals were found in North America after being previously only found in South America. Then the armadillos started pulling in Mexico and finally the United States.
Texas became known as the home state of the armadillo and the animal became a symbolic emblem for the Texas people. Armadillos were also introduced in Florida and have also migrated north from their territories there. In 1997 armadillos moved to Kansas and Missouri.
Now the armadillo is on the move again. Virginia is the northernmost where armadillos have been seen, but with the warming climates and their expansion history, the armadillos are likely to continue to move.
Armadillos are extremely resourceful animals, so it’s less of a matter of what keeps them moving and more a matter of Why they are not deterred.
Despite the many waterways that traverse armadillo territory, armadillos are undeterred. The animals simply hold their breath and walk on the bottom of the riverbed. For larger rivers, the armadillo inflates its stomach and floats across the river to the other bank.
The only thing that really deters armadillos is winter. Armadillos are not good at adapting to colder climates, despite their northward movement. If it is too cold, the animal will freeze or starve in its den due to lack of foraging ability.
The armadillo is also not welcome in some states. Not like a “digger,” armadillos often dig up yards, fields, and more. They have been placed on some states’ “invasive species” lists.
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