Armadillos are supremely confidence in their leathery suit of armor. They go about their daily business seemingly without concerns about danger. But this is a passive form of confidence. Armadillos have poor eyesight and hearing. As a result they are often unaware of impending threats. Evolution equipped these little animals with a very reliable defense, and in exchange they gave up a certain level of situational awareness. That in turn can give the Armadillo the appearance of nonchalance.

As good as the Armadillo’s suit of armor is, it is not foolproof. A determined predator can take one down with a targeted strike. That may be what happened with this find I made near the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. Its easy to see how this Armadillo was dispatched, but what is harder to explain is why it was not eaten after being killed.

Armadillo - Gruesome End

One Reply to “Armadillo – Gruesome End”

  1. These guys are so cool. They are making their way up into southern Illinois, (I am in the Chicago region) as climate warms up. Perhaps, this dillo was sick, and predators knew not to eat it. I sometimes also come across dead wildlife in the forest preserves and prairies….no poisons there, but they are not eaten. Perhaps they just were not spotted or found yet. These carcasses will still be eaten…by dermidstead beetle and fly larva.

    I always wanted to do in Chicago what you are doing down in your area….show just how fantastic nature is in huge urbanized areas. Love your website.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.