An animal that many people have only seen dead on the side of the road is quietly infiltrating throughout this area and other parts of central Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation media …
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Armadillo sightings are more common
Posted
By Monte Miller,
Record Staff Writer
An animal that many people have only seen dead on the side of the road is quietly infiltrating throughout this area and other parts of central Missouri.Missouri Department of Conservation media specialist Dan Zarlenga says armadillo sightings are becoming a more common occurrence than one might think.“We are definitely seeing more armadillos,” he said. “They were originally seen in the southern parts of the state in the 1980s and they are gradually moving north. Some have even been spotted as far north as the Missouri, Iowa border.”Zarlenga and others are somewhat baffled by the northern migration of the warm-blooded mammals that normally don’t do well in cold weather.“They don’t hibernate like other animals and they eat insects out of the ground,” he said. “So, it’s hard to say how and why they are surviving farther north. Climate change could be one factor. In the past few winters we haven’t had as many days in a row below freezing. Armadillos also can hold their breath for up to five minutes, so they can cross creeks and rivers.”Here to StayAlthough armadillos are not an indigenous Missouri species, they are not considered an invasive species.This is because they are migrating naturally to this area and armadillo populations are not currently being monitored by the conservation department.“Theoretically, they should not survive here,” Zarlenga said. “They do seem to be colonizing here. They are here to stay and will be increasing.”Armadillo MythsAccording to the conservation department, armadillos are no threat whatsoever to humans and myths about the animals carrying leprosy are highly inflated.“They do have the capacity to carry the bacteria,” Zarlenga said. “The only real cases were in Mexico, where people had them as pets, or may have eaten undercooked armadillo meat.”Armadillos are used in biomedical leprosy research.Since they are mammals, armadillos, much like other wild critters you may see less frequently in town like squirrels, opossums or raccoons, could carry rabies but, like leprosy, that also is unlikely.“They are normally not aggressive and have very poor eyesight,” Zarlenga said. “In fact, if you encounter one, they might not even be aware of your presence.”The animals’ poor eyesight is the main reason so many are seen dead on the side of roadways.“Their only natural predator is cars,” Zarlenga said jokingly. “When armadillos are frightened, their defense mechanism is to jump 3 to 4 feet straight up in the air. A strategy that serves them well in the wild, unfortunately, they see headlights and jump straight into the paths of cars. In summer they are mostly nocturnal.”If You See OneSince armadillos are no physical threat to humans, Zarlenga said the worst thing they can do is possibly tear up your yard, garden or flower beds digging for bugs and grubs.“They can be quite destructive in that sense,” he said. “If you have a recurring problem, you may need to fence off the area to keep them out.”In addition, if you see one in your yard, you can simply scare it off with loud noises and that should suffice.Zarlenga also said he doesn’t condone the use of pesticides on lawns but, that would also be a way to eliminate the armadillo food source and they will move on.There is no hunting or trapping season for the armadillo. However, the Wildlife Code of Missouri specifies that damage-causing armadillos may be trapped or shot to prevent further damage.In extreme cases, if residents kill an armadillo, they must contact the conservation department within 24 hours.Zarlenga added he doesn’t recommend shooting armadillos and although he has heard of them being eaten, he doesn’t recommend that either.If you eat armadillo meat, thoroughly cook it first and wear gloves if you must handle armadillos, alive or dead.Armadillo Facts The Missouri Department of Conservation has provided these quick facts about armadillos to help the public better understand these unusual looking animals residents may be unfamiliar with.• It does not have furry skin; instead, it has hair only between hardened plates of skin that nearly encompass the body.• There are two large plates with a series of nine smaller moveable “girdles” or “bands” around the midsection.• The head, short legs, and tail are covered with plates.• The toes have well-developed claws.• Overall color is mottled dark brown to yellowish white.• Armadillos usually grow to: 23-31 inches; tail length: 9 to 14 inches; usual weight: 11 to 14 pounds.• The average lifespan in the wild would be between five to seven years, but they can live up to 20 years in captivity.Food SourcesArmadillos eat foods of animal origin. Mostly insects and other invertebrates.Ants, adult and larval beetles, and flies are the main items, but earthworms and an occasional reptile round out the diet.Fungi and fruit are occasionally taken. Food is located by the nose, which is held close to the ground.Their sharp claws then dig to expose the food, which is flicked into the mouth with the long sticky tongue.For more information on armadillos, visit the Missouri Department of Conservation website at mdc.mo.gov.
Photo by MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation.
