Armadillo discovered in Marshall County | News, Sports, Jobs

PHOTOS BY GARRY BRANDENBURG — An armadillo, specifically the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), was the victim of a car accident near the intersection of U.S. Highway 30 and 18th Avenue near Marshalltown in mid-July. The struck animal was spotted by Marshall County Conservation Maintenance Supervisor/Park Ranger Jeremiah Manken. He brought the dead animal to the attention of Iowa DNR biologists, who have had periodic but infrequent reports of armadillos in Iowa. This animal is most commonly associated with states such as Texas, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri. Other southern states also have it. Armadillos have a protective shell-like series of bony plates in their skin. When they curl up, a hardened exterior is about the only thing a predator has to deal with, preventing the animal from being eaten as a meal. Note the scaly appearance of its head, back, rump and tail. Long claws on its feet enable it to dig efficiently. Insects are its primary food source.

An armadillo in Marshall County? No way, you say.

Well folks, the evidence is there, currently stored in a freezer at the Marshall County Conservation facilities. Its ultimate fate has yet to be determined.

But there is certainly some excitement about a new species, however unusual it may be. Armadillos are common in states south of Iowa. Travelers most often see their motionless bodies along the sides of roads, victims of vehicle collisions.

A common sight for travelers on the road in Iowa are raccoons. Raccoons are plentiful and when they decide to cross a road, usually at night, they can have the misfortune of dying very quickly from a collision with cars or trucks. Nature’s roadside cleanup crews, mostly turkey vultures, or eagles, owls or hawks, even coyotes, foxes or badgers, will peck at the carcass to get protein rich meals for themselves.

So what do scientists know about armadillos? Stand by for the details I was able to obtain.

First, they are a placental animal with archaeological evidence in the fossil record dating back 60 million years in South America. Today, there are 21 species, but only one lives in North America, the Nine-banded Armadillo. In South America, the Giant Armadillo can grow to 59 inches long and weigh 115 pounds.

South America also has the pink fairy armadillo which is only five to six inches long. Ancient and extinct megafaunal glyptodonts grew to over four feet long and weighed an estimated two tons. They became extinct about 12,000 years ago.

The country of Paraguay today has the most diverse species of armadillos. From a geological standpoint, it is thought that when a land connection between South and North America was created by collisions between crustal plates, that land bridge allowed the animals to migrate north into North America during the early Pleistocene.

Second, all armadillo species have a protective shield called a carapace, which consists of overlapping bony plates on their skin. Osteoderms are the biological name for these plates that cover not only the head, back, trunk, and tail, but also the upper parts of the legs, ears, and face.

The name armadillo is Spanish for “little armored one”. The Aztec name is more precise and means “turtle-rabbit”. Thirdly, the undersides have no shell, but a soft skin with fine hairs. The short legs end with long and strong claws, excellent tools for digging in the ground in search of insects or for making burrows.

There are four claws on the front feet and five claws on the back feet. An adult can be 28 to 33 inches long and weigh 11 to 14 pounds. It has 32 degenerated peg-like teeth that are all premolars and molars.

Fourth, the diet consists mainly of insects, larvae and other invertebrates. Some species also target ants and termites. Those long, tough claws enable the animal to dig deep into the ground.

Nine-banded armadillos prefer to dig burrows in moist soil near creeks, rivers and arroyos. Fifth, eyesight is considered poor, but this is compensated by excellent senses of smell.

Sixth, armadillos love water and can walk on the bottom of a river while holding their breath for up to six minutes. When crossing larger bodies of water, they swallow air to increase their buoyancy.

Seventh, the amazing thing about reproduction is that females of the genus Dasypus always have four young and they are all identical. One egg is fertilized, but four genetically identical offspring are born. From a scientific point of view, it is a biological mystery and a major research topic why this only happens in this genus.

Nine-banded armadillos can also perform delayed implantation. A typical gestation period lasts from 60 to as long as 120 days, depending on the species.

Eighth, body temperature is generally low, about 91 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Metabolic rate is only 40 to 60 percent of what would be expected of other placental mammals of similar mass.

Finally, there is this additional mystery of biology. It concerns the study of the disease leprosy, specifically the leprosy bacterium called Mycobacterium leprae. Armadillos and mangabey monkeys, rabbits and mice are among the few known species that can contract the disease systemically.

This is thought to be partly due to a body temperature of 93F, which is low. Human skin is about 93F, and people have contracted leprosy infections by touching or eating undercooked armadillo meat. Armadillos are the suspected vector and natural reservoir for the disease in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.

A 2018 Iowa DNR publication summarized information about armadillos. Over the past 100 years, probably longer, the nine-banded armadillo has expanded its range northward from Texas and Mexico. When startled, the animal can jump three to four feet off the ground. So it makes sense that an armadillo crossing a road as a vehicle approaches is likely to have an impact with disastrous results.

A 2016 story in the Des Moines Register told of a roadkill armadillo found near Carlisle. It’s unusual to see this unique mammal in Iowa, but now there’s documentation of its presence.

And Marshall County was the place in July 2024.

————

Native prairie grasses and herbs are making themselves heard this summer. Particularly native grasses on the Marietta Sand Prairie, located about three miles southwest of Albion on Knapp Avenue. A botanically and biologically significant piece of public land, 212 acres

land to walk on, camera in hand and/or plant identification guides at hand, to learn more about the subtle beauty of native grasslands.

Dominant grasses that are now becoming most visible include little bluestem, big bluestem, Indiangrass, sand reed grass, Junegrass, tall dropseed, and needlegrass. Herbaceous plants to look for include blazing star, birdfoot violet, Missouri goldenrod, savory leaf aster, partridge pea, sage, and dotted mint.

This list is small, but it is a start. The species list of a professional botanist contains almost 300 plant species. Although upland loam prairies are more common, sandy prairies are much rarer and therefore contain unique plant species.

Discover nature on the Marietta Sand Prairie, this is your chance for your curious mind this summer and fall. Enjoy.

————

Rainfall this year has been abundant and, for the most part, welcome. Here is just a sample of what my data for 2024 indicates.

In early March my Albion total was 2.14″. Then in April it added 4.13″. May came with 9.73″ and in June the rain was 5.49″. So far in July I have registered 5.36″ and the month is not over yet.

My total rainfall so far in Albion for 2024 is 31.51″ — a figure that is normally a spring to fall total for this part of Iowa. What happens between now and the end of October is known only to Mother Nature. A wetter than normal year is in the making. Natural history moments are being made every day. We humans must learn to adapt, because we really have no other choice.

————

A reminder that a Hunting Safety Course is now posted for August 22nd and 24th and is accepting registrations. This traditional course includes a classroom introduction on Thursday evenings from 6:00-9:00 pm and then a full day of activities and a mix of classes on the 24th from 8:00-4:00 pm. Anyone 12 years or older is welcome to register at GoOutdoorsIowa.com.

Click on the Events and Hunter Education Certification Classes icon to register. The location for this class is at the Izaak Walton League grounds, two miles south of Iowa Avenue on Smith Avenue. Once this hunter education course is taken and the test is passed, it is valid for life and is valid in all 50 states and provinces of Canada.

————

Garry Brandenburg is the retired director of the Marshall County Conservation Board. He is a graduate of Iowa State University with a BS degree in Fish & Wildlife Biology.

Contact him via:

PO Box 96

Albion, IA 50005

: PHOTOS BY GARRY BRANDENBURG — An armadillo, specifically the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), was the victim of a car accident near the intersection of U.S. Highway 30 and 18th Avenue near Marshalltown in mid-July. The struck animal was spotted by Marshall County Conservation Maintenance Supervisor/Park Ranger Jeremiah Manken. He brought the dead animal to the attention of Iowa DNR biologists, who have had periodic but infrequent reports of armadillos in Iowa. This animal is most commonly associated with states such as Texas, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri. Other southern states also have it. Armadillos have a protective shell-like series of bony plates in their skin. When they curl up, a hardened exterior is about the only thing a predator has to deal with, preventing the animal from being eaten as a meal. Note the scaly appearance of its head, back, rump and tail. Long claws on its feet enable it to dig efficiently. Insects are its primary food source.