The newest Midwestern resident comes with its own armor: Armadillos are rolling into Illinois as temperatures rise and winters warm.
According to Fox 2 KPLR, the animals have become increasingly common in the southern part of the state, a region where they were virtually unknown just a few decades ago.
Their northward trajectory may be another sign that rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns are impacting ecosystems across the United States.
What's happening?
According to a blog post authored by Agustin Jimenez in October, a zoology professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, sightings of nine-banded armadillos in the area have increased over the past decade, with the animals establishing themselves in the Midwest.
Armadillos are native to Central and South America. They first crossed the Rio Grande in the 1800s and have since expanded their range into the U.S.
Jimenez noted that Illinois' humid woodlands, riverbanks, and roadsides have become more hospitable to armadillos. Not only have warming winters been conducive to the creatures, but the professor also indicated that the fragmentation of landscapes through human development has created breeding grounds for the insects that serve as the mammal's food source.
Jimenez said that armadillos have been among those dubbed "neonatives" — species no longer able to thrive in their original habitats due to changing weather patterns and human interference.
Why is the regional expansion of armadillos notable?
The armadillo's migration comes at the same time as similar shifts among other species, like bears and deer, which are moving to new habitats as temperatures rise and weather shifts.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, average winter temperatures in the U.S. have increased by nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit since 1896, making cold seasons in certain places, like Illinois, tolerable for species from warmer climates, like armadillos.
This species' expansion could reshape ecosystems by introducing new competition for food, water, and habitat. Armadillos may also potentially spread diseases, such as leprosy, which has expanded in geographic range, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Always 👍 What's being done about species expansion driven by rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns?
According to National Geographic, about half of the world's species are on the move, with many migrating northward. With that in mind, experts in Illinois may be able to learn a lot about these trends by observing armadillos in action.
Scientists are watching these changes in species distribution unfold in real time to gather data on species expansion. The National Ecological Observatory Network, the U.S. Geological Survey's Climate Adaptation Science Centers, and the National Phenology Network all track how species shift their ranges.
At the local level, individuals can learn how their own environments are changing by tracking new wildlife sightings and supporting local conservation groups in monitoring and protecting native habitats.
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