Jennifer Moonsong/ WCLU News Director
When you think of small animals in the Kentucky Woodland, armadillos are probably not the first thing that comes to mind. However, over the past decade, the population of armadillos in western and southern Kentucky has grown tremendously, with people reporting more sightings than ever before.
The variety of armadillo that has populated southern Kentucky is the nine-banded armadillo, and if you’ve seen one of them, it’s likely been in the state of carrion along a Kentucky highway. The solitary, nocturnal animals, do most of their moving and exploring at night, and unlike other woodland mammals, such as possums and raccoons, the fur is replaced with a dermal bone armor. Unlike its three-banded cousin, the nine-banded armadillo cannot roll into a ball for protection and instead runs or quickly digs into the ground for defense.
If you wonder what these nocturnal critters, Dainon, it’s a combination of insects, including worms, Beatles, and other grubs. They do occasionally eat eggs out of wild turkey nests, and other egg-laying animals, including chicken coops if they can get one.
Armadillos are not aggressive, however, they do carry leprosy, according to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. Therefore, they should be viewed with caution.
The department has no specific estimate of the armadillo population in South Central Kentucky, other than a keen awareness that the population is expanding. To learn more about armadillos in Kentucky, visit the Kentucky Fish And Wildlife website.