Mystery surrounds Iowa armadillo

upi ^ | May 19, 2010

[JoeProBono]

WEVER, Iowa,- Experts said an armadillo found dead at the side of a southeastern Iowa road may have been part of an early species range expansion.

Ron Andrews, a biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said armadillos are commonly found in the south central and southeastern United States, Mexico and South America, but one of the animals was found Saturday at the side of the road by a rural couple near Wever, The (Burlington, Iowa) Hawk Eye, reported Wednesday.

He said the animal may have been part of an early species range expansion.

"In southeast Iowa, the chances are a little rarer than in southwest Iowa because the rascals have been moving up from the more southwesterly side (of the region.) But I do know this, nothing is impossible anymore in this day and age. You never want to say never," Andrews said.

He said the armadillo may have also been captured somewhere else and released in the area or it may have stowed away on a truck or a train.

"We have no way to know for sure," Andrews said. "It's one of those quirky things we're going to have to really watch as the next year unfolds to see if more show up."

[JoeProBono]

[two23]

They are showing up here in Northeast GA.

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[martin_fierro]

Get over here.

[basil]

Armadillos are no longer plentiful in TX as they once were.

They became road kill—and these days, I hardly ever see on—dead or alive.

[sodpoodle]

“We have no way to know for sure,” Andrews said.

Ab absurdo = Modern science!!!

[csmusaret]

Hell, they all moved to Georgia and Iowa.

[nina0113]

The animal doesn’t look so bad, but that shell thingie looks like a giant locust. *JUST* the pocketbook for spring, NOT!

[Jack of all Trades]

[Eric in the Ozarks]

These things have crossed the Missouri River and have been able to survive last year's winter.
Iowegians are not gonna like what they do...

[stormer]

The small ones are only advance scouts. Wait until the main force arrives...

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Why did the chicken cross the road?

To prove to the armadillo it could be done.

[A Texan]

Or maybe, just maybe instead of migration some armadillo just escaped a cage somewhere in Iowa.

[JoeProBono]

[Raven6]

They moved into Tennessee several years ago. I would bet I've seen, over the past 4 days, at least 15 of them trying to muscle in on the job of Tennessee Speed Bump, which has always been a job previously performed by the possum.

Regards,
Raven6

[JoeProBono]

[sniper63]

Not to worry, they are just a food source along the imigration highway........

[o_zarkman44]

They are not common in Central Missouri, but I see a dead one on the road on occasion. They are illegal immigrunts from the south.

[basil]

That’s okay—we had them long enough. It’s our duty to share.

They can certainly make a mess out of a beautiful lawn, though......

[JoeProBono]