Armadillos have arrived in downstate Illinois and are heading north ... (ongoing climate change)

[Norton Nork]

From the Chicago Tribune
Armadillos have arrived in downstate Illinois and are heading north — yes, you might someday see an armadillo in your backyard
https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-armadillos-arrive-illinois-20220504-hhzv7szssbfotkegaxb442xu2m-story.html

Every now and then the Illinois Department of Natural Resources puts out a public request for sightings of armadillos, anywhere in the state: Folks, if you see something, say something. And periodically, yes, they do get a handful of reports of armadillos, scattered here and there. But when they asked again in February, they received more than 400 reports in 24 hours, from across the state, though (mostly) southern counties. Illinois, you’re seeing armadillos beneath your sheds. You’re seeing armadillos in your gardens. You’re even seeing them waddling across your lawns in the dying light of winter afternoons. You’re seeing them on warm summer nights and, increasingly, on cooler spring days.

...

Or as many Illinois residents in the southern half of the state have concluded: That’s also climate change in action, in real time — a known resident of the South pushing north, into a warmer Midwest.

Wendling soon heard from nearby farmers who said armadillos were tearing into their fields ...

...

Also hurting existing wildlife such as deer (by encroachment on food supplies). Worth reading the whole thing.

[FoxNewsSucks]

1. I moved to Wichita in the mid-80's

At that time, you might see an occasional dead armadillo on I-35 AFTER crossing the state line into Oklahoma. Now they're quite a distance north.

I don't know how anyone can deny a changing climate, you can see it happening.

[modrepub]

4. No, No, No...

Liberals are transporting them north on trains and buses just to support their climate hoax.

Knee high (corn) by the 4th of July that's now head high by the 4th of July is due to faster growing seeds (not earlier planting because the soil hits 50 degrees F in the spring quicker than it did decades ago).

And so many other explanations for what is an obvious earlier arrival of spring and extended summer don't you know.

[2naSalit]

2. K&R

Welcome to DU!

[Docreed2003]

3. That's incredible

I grew up in TN and never remember seeing them here. In the last ten years, they seem to be popping up all over the area. It doesn't surprise me they'd be making their way further north.

[Bayard]

5. Yikes!

They are carriers of EPM, dreaded horse disease of the nervous system, as do possums. I always said--well, at least we don't have to worry about armadillos!

[hunter]

6. The Central California Coast of today is beginning to resemble the Southern California of my youth.

Coastal Southern California is beginning to resemble Coastal Pacific North Baja Mexico.

[NickB79]

7. I'd say shoot them, but sometimes.22 bullets bounce back

https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/04/us/armadillo-bullet-story-twitter-trnd/index.html

Shot himself in the face in Texas.