Roving armadillos could be heading for the Washington area, biologists say

[madinmaryland]

Armadillos in D.C.? It may sound absurd, but new reports show that the leathery, armored mammal from Texas is on the move and could soon take up residence in the Washington area.

Climate change is the culprit, reports the Daily Climate Web site, citing biologists’ claims that the armadillo’s northward expansion can be attributed to a warming atmosphere.

The Museum of Life and Science in North Carolina adds that the armadillo’s lack of natural predators and Americans’ reluctance to hunt and eat them are also contributing factors.

The armadillo arrived in Texas in the 1880s, in Florida in the 1920s and has since settled into “totally unexpected” areas including southern Illinois, Indiana, Kansas and Missouri.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-buzz/post/roving-armadillos-could-be-heading-for-the-washington-area-biologists-say/2011/10/05/gIQAJMU8ML_blog.html?hpid=z5

[Ezlivin]

1. The pandering elephants and slothful donkeys are already there

How much worse could it get?

[SpiralHawk]

23. I, for one, welcome our new Armadillo Overlords

[HighContext]

37. ...

[Renew Deal]

2. Texas Armadillo Recipe

Coming to a DC restaurant soon

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/262/Texas_Armadillo35982.shtml

[HereSince1628]

9. Eating armadillo requires the buddy system...

One person must ALWAYS be watching for traffic.

[The Backlash Cometh]

27. LOL!

[Aerows]

10. I'm an adventurous diner

I've eaten alligator, snake, squirrel and heaven only knows what I've forgotten about, but armadillo? I can't get over the leprosy phobia enough to get adventurous enough to try it. Mind you, leprosy is rare and most people are immune to it, but I can't imagine eating an armadillo for that reason. It's a fairly irrational fear considering that I eat very rare steak, but ... oh well, there it is.

[Renew Deal]

13. I don't think it's that irrational.

x(

[raccoon]

18. The novel ALAS, BABYLON said they were good eating. nt

[ProgressiveProfessor]

26. Now there is a book I have not heard about in years

[madinmaryland]

24. Tastes like chicken!!

[Gidney N Cloyd]

32. Especially when they cross the road. nt

[Dover]

3. So if they are moving to Washington and parts north of Texas

what does that say about the future climate of Texas? Will it be uninhabitable? Or just not condusive to their favorite meal - grubs.

You lucky folks up north are in for some fun. You'll have your own little lawn aerator and grub controller.

Armadillos do have an unnatural enemy. The automobile.

Armadillos are like living dinosaurs and apparently know how to survive and adapt.

[rfranklin]

11. We need to build a wall to prevent immigration...

We have to keep the Mexicans and Republicans in Texas.

[formercia]

28. ...and they move quite fast

I owned 20 acres in SE Oklahoma that was infested with them. They sure can tear up the countryside.

I left them alone. I think they're cute.

[snooper2]

38. There are people living in Atacama so I think we will be okay

LOL

[hobbit709]

4. The only natural enemy of armadillos is the automobile.

[RockaFowler]

6. Yep

Drive the Turnpike in Florida from Miami to Orlando and the side of the road is littered with them.

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. "possom on the half-shell"

[hobbit709]

12. Armadillos are the only other mammal besides humans that get Hansen's disease.

[NYC_SKP]

5. Theyre nasty when in packs. The Lead Armadillo strikes up a conversation with you, gains your trust

While the others sneak up behind you and...

...well, it's just too graphic to describe.

Everyone, move further north!!!


`````


OK, actually, like many plant species, these critters are moving north because the climate is changing and their range is expanding, or at least moving, northward.

And it's gonna be too damned hot in Texas, even for armadillos....

[Dover]

8. So will Texans move north too?

Or will they stay put and just find some other roadkill to put on the table?

[Ian David]

14. I have always wanted to have one as a pet. Though it's probably not a good idea. n/t

[pinboy3niner]

15. Damn! When they invaded in '01, it took 8 years to get 'em out.

:evilgrin:

[Drale]

16. They just found one wandering around

in a far south suburb of Chicago a couple of months back

[madrchsod]

22. a few years ago they were spotted north of carbondale..

well they do walk rather slow....

[Enrique]

17. Million Armadillo March

:shrug:

[pinboy3niner]

20. Critics charge armadillo 'Occupy D.C.' campaign lacks demands, goals

:rofl:

:fistbump:

[UTUSN]

19. & they're all named KKKarl. n/t

[dmosh42]

21. They don't fear much. Had one walk between my feet as I was preparing to hit a golf ball!

[Ready4Change]

29. Maybe after watching you play a few holes...

... he figured you can't hit anything with those clubs anyway?

Oh wait. That's what they think about me!

[dmosh42]

33. Hmm, maybe you're right. I did give up the game!

[Ikonoklast]

34. The armadillo probably figured that the safest place

(after seeing all the flailing going on around, near, and in the general vicinity of it) was to be as close as possible to the little white ball, as it never seemed to be in any imminent danger of getting hit by anything.



Except maybe some stray profanity.








Crap, wait a minute...that's me!

[BiggJawn]

25. See? Even the Armadillos are joining OccupyDC!

With Armadillos on our side, who can be against us?

[whathehell]

30. I for one, look forward to seeing them in Chicago!

Could these little critters be any weirder looking, LOL?

[hunter]

31. I like the Aztec name: Azotochtli

"Turtle-rabbit"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillo

[dembotoz]

35. what is the book title--only thing in the middle of the road is a yellow line and a dead armadillo

jim hightower
remember it was a great book.....

fitting for dc these days

[eppur_se_muova]

36. This was noticed years ago ... back in the late 70's,

we had to drive all the way to Lousiana to spot armadillos. Ten years ago I spotted a couple near Atlanta, and recently as far north as Huntsville (AL). Everybody in the South has noticed it, but nobody ever says anything about GW being connected ... wonder why ...

[uppityperson]

39. DC, not state. Darn. Roving Armidillos joing OWS!