Watch Out Illinois, The Armadillos Are Coming

By Chad Stroh

The Texas critters have been making their way up to Illinois. In Jackson County, 13 armadillos have been spotted. No one is sure why the armadillos are going up north. The farthest they have seen an armadillo go is Nebraska. People who have been observing the armadillo migration think they are traveling north because of the midwest region's favorable climate and it's sparse predators. People are really not sure how they are migrating at this point. They have large obstacles like the Mississippi River to overcome, if they are traveling by foot. During the Great Depression armadillos were known as "Hoover Hogs" because people would eat them instead of "chicken in every pot" that Herbert Hoover promised the American people. The interesting travels of the Armadillo are sparking interest in many people who are not familiar with the animal.