That explains their spread into northern Georgia, South Carolina, Oklahoma and other southern states.
Another frequent query is “Are armadillos migrating north?”.
Some think that armadillos have been migrating north from south Texas since the mid 1800s. Their migration is hampered by cold weather. Armadillos don’t hibernate and must eat every day. When long cold spells keep the ground frozen, they freeze to death.
While researching we ran into the inquiry “Why do armadillos keep coming north?”.
Here’s one advantage to armadillos’ steady northward march across the Southeast United States: They’re awfully handy to have as bait if, say, you’re a wildlife biologist looking to trap an alligator that has inexplicably settled into your local pond in north Georgia.
Why did the Armadillo migrate to Texas?
Some of that migration can be attributed to opportunity: The armadillo in particular has been moving northward since it arrived in Texas in the 1880s and Florida in the 1920s, according to Colleen Mc. Donough, a biology professor at Valdosta State University in Georgia.
Centralis may be found in Central America as far north as the extreme southern boundary of Mexico. The nine-banded armadillo has expanded its range northward into the United States over the last 150 years.
Why are armadillos invading the Carolinas?
WCNC-TV Charlotte Armadillos are Invading the Carolinas, but scientists aren’t sure why. Let’s connect the dots. Most often associated with Texas, the armored mammals originated in South America. But over the past 15 years, they’ve been expanding their range moving into North and South Carolina and as far north as Iowa.
All of these first Xenarthran migrants into the modern United States were extinct by about 10,000 years ago. The beautiful armadillo ( Dasypus bellus) was the last member of the genus Dasypus to live in North America. Bellus ranged as far north as Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska prior to its extinction around 11,000 years ago.
Major obstacles to armadillo expansion in the United States prior to 1850 Rivers: Although armadillos are good swimmers, the Rio Grande is a formidable barrier. Hunting and Predation: In many parts of South and Central America, armadillos are a valuable food source.
When I was reading we ran into the question “Why did the nine-banded armadillo invade the United States?”.
One thought is that The nine-banded armadillo’s remarkable invasion of the United States appears to be due to a combination of factors. Large rivers, hunting by humans, and unsuitable habitat probably contributed to the scarcity of armadillos in the US prior to 1850:.
Will armadillos ever make it to your neck of the woods?
If you don’t think that armadillos will ever make it in your neck of the woods, keep in mind that another South American mammal, the Virginia opossum, successfully invaded the United States despite the cold winters and physical barriers to range expansion. For the nine-banded armadillo, it looks like it’s Canada or bust!