![]() Overall population seems to be increasing and expanding. Where do armadillos live in the United States? They have even been spotted as far north as Chicago, Illinois which is known for extremely cold winters. Within their quickly growing range in the U.S., these animals can adapt and survive in many different types of climates and habitats. Ever since they have been reproducing and their populations have grown and slowly expanding north. They were first introduced to Texas above the Rio Grande in 1849, New Mexico in 1905, and then Florida in 1924. You may also like: 23 Birds of Prey in Connecticut (With Pictures) Range Image: Wikimedia Commons In the winter when food is scarce they may also eat plants and fruits. DietĪrmadillos are foragers and feed on a variety of insects and invertebrates such as ants and larvae but will also eat small reptiles and amphibians. They generally prefer living in a variety of forests but also live in grasslands, sand dunes, tropical rainforests, prairies, and scrublands. The Nine-banded Armadillo is a highly adaptive mammal. ![]() With that in mind, lets take a look at what we do know about them. There is at least one at the Nashville Zoo however, if you wish to see one up close. When it comes to the Nine-banded Armadillo, there’s not much interest or funding available for studying the animals from a scientific perspective.Īrmadillos in Tennessee are elusive and primarily nocturnal, making them hard to find unless it’s a dead one on the side of the road. Length: 28 – 33 inches (adult including tail)Īrmadillos are solitary animals that don’t enjoy interaction with anyone or anything, when they take a mate to procreate is about the only time they will.Like other invasive species they will compete with native wildlife for food and habitat, but they are not currently believed to be much of a threat to the environment or native wildlife. Nine-banded Armadillos can be hunted and killed any time in the state of Tennessee, according to TWRA spokesman Doug Markham. See below for more info on estimated range of the Nine-banded Armadillo in the United States. Yes, armadillos are considered an invasive species not only to the state of Tennessee but North America. ![]() Only one species, the Nine-banded Armadillo, has ventured north of the South American tropics, making it the only species of armadillo in Tennessee. ![]() There are about 20 different species of armadillos, all of which are found in the Americas. As a lifelong Tennessee resident I can tell you that it’s only in recent years that it’s become somewhat common to see them, and many residents to the state still haven’t seen them. However it isn’t clear when exactly they made their way into the state. So the answer to the question at hand is yes, there have been armadillos in the state of Tennessee since the early 2000s. image: Thomas R Machnitzki | Wikimedia Commons | CC 3.0 There’s no way of knowing at this time what the population of armadillos in Tennessee actually is, the only time we see them is when they have been struck by a car and are dead on the side of the road. It seems as thought there’s a new species in many states ready to jump out in front of cars, and that’s the Nine-banded Armadillo. The roadside critter that we think of in Tennessee is North America’s only marsupial, the Virginia Opossum. Which brings us to the topic of this article, armadillos in Tennessee. However for many other states north of Florida or Texas, like Tennessee, we are starting to see them too. states then you are probably used to seeing armadillos on the sides of the road.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |