Armadillo Antics

 

   Been seeing any armadillos around?  Chances are that you have, particularly if you live in the southern half of Kansas.  The Nine-banded Armadillo has been steadily expanding its range northward in recent years. Out in the southern Kansas Outback, the armadillo has been commonly seen, but even here, this critter has become more prevalent.   According to the Kansas Mammals Atlas (google it), the furthest northern record in Kansas is in Rooks County near Zurich.  Many animals have been demonstrating climate change even before some of the sophisticated science behind such evidence of the Antarctica ice coring.  The northward expansion of this species is another harbinger of this phenomenon.  

   This is a very interesting animal in that it uniquely produces quadruplets, always.  While often a nuisance for well-manicured lawns, the animal does eat grubs so is a natural insect control--and provides some unwanted aeration for the yard.  As seen in the video, they are approachable and have poor eyesight.  However, they have a good sense of smell and often raise up on their hind legs to get a sniff of any intruders.  Then they are likely to jump up a couple of feet before running off.  The Nine-banded Armadillo--another interesting feature of the Kansas Outback.