Armadillo Spotted in Ohio Signals Northward Expansion of Mexican Long-Nosed Species
Earlier this month, a Mexican long-nosed armadillo was discovered as roadkill in Ohio, sparking interest in the species, which originally inhabited areas south of the U.S. and migrated across the Rio Grande in the mid-1800s. By the 1920s, they had made their way to Louisiana, and by the 1940s, to Kansas. According to a 2024 study published in Diversity, armadillos are now established in 17 states, with additional sightings in four others, including Ohio. Their spread is attributed to climate change and human influence. Experts estimate they will inhabit all counties in North Carolina within 10–15 years and reach Chicago in a decade. Although they can carry leprosy, the risk of transmission remains low. The species is classified as least concern, with cold weather not impeding their northward expansion.
Key facts
- A roadkill armadillo was found in Ohio earlier this month, marking the first recorded natural entry into the state.
- The Mexican long-nosed armadillo, formerly called the nine-banded armadillo, is the only armadillo species in the United States.
- Armadillos crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico into Texas in the mid-1800s, reaching Louisiana by the 1920s and Kansas by the 1940s.
- A 2024 paper in the journal Diversity reported armadillos are established or frequent in 17 states, with occasional sightings in four others, including Ohio.
- Expansion drivers include climate change, land-use shifts, and a human-caused release in Florida.
- A live armadillo was first recorded in Iowa in 2017; verified records in Virginia followed in 2021.
- Experts predict armadillos will reach all 100 North Carolina counties in 10–15 years and Chicago within a decade.
- Armadillos can carry leprosy but transmission risk to humans is low; they are considered a species of least concern.
Entities
Artists
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