An armadillo found a roadkill in Southwest Ohio could be a historic first for the state.
Researchers at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, only a few miles away from where the armadillo was found, believe it to be the first natural occurrence of the animal in the state. Armadillos have been found as roadkill in Ohio before
but always along ramps to interstates, leading state wildlife officials to conclude that the animals were hitchhikers.However, the armadillo near Oxford appears to have arrived in Ohio without the help of a human, Dr. Tereza Jezkova, an associate professor of biology at Miami University told WLTW TV-5.
“It is, possibly the first documented occurrence of natural occurrence of armadillos in Ohio,” Jezkova said.
begins: Keep those feeders up for now
Armadillo sightings in Ohio
Armadillos, the only mammal with a hard exterior shell, are native to South America.
According to the National Wildlife Federation, the armadillo is typically found in the southern United States, but their range has been expanding over the past 100 years. Some have been spotted as far north as Illinois and Nebraska, and they are also in Kentucky.
Prior to the latest armadillo find, there were two confirmed armadillo sightings, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Both were found as roadkill in 2021.
The first was on May 11, 2021, in Richland County near Mansfield, at the state Route 13 and Interstate 71 north off ramp.
The second was found on June 21, 2021, in Morrow County, on the exit ramp from I-71 to state Route 95. That's about 10 or so miles southwest from the first sighting.
In an email, ODNR Wildlife Biologist Katie Dennison said there have been no confirmed sightings since then.
Dennison told Axios Columbus that the sightings are far from where wildlife experts would expect the armadillo to show up naturally in the state — the southern border.
"We suspect those animals were 'hitchhikers' that got onto a vehicle somewhere in armadillo range, and fell off in Ohio," she told the publication.
Are there armadillos in Kentucky?
Yes. Nine-banded armadillos have expanded in western and southern parts of Kentucky for 35–40 years, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife. They were first recorded in the Commonwealth in the mid-1980s, and one was discovered at the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest last year, around half an hour south of downtown Louisville.
Do armadillos carry diseases? What diseases do they carry?
Yes. Nine-banded armadillos can carry leprosy, which can be transmitted to people, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife. Contact with armadillos should be kept to a minimum.
Armadillo range map
According to a 2025 study titled "Current distribution of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the United States," from the U.S. Geological Survey, the armadillo was first documented in the United States in Texas in 1849.
Since then, its range has expanded to the north through Missouri and into southern Iowa and to the northeast into Tennessee, Kentucky, North and South Carolina, Georgia as well as parts of Indiana and Illinois.
What do armadillos eat?
According to the University of Florida, armadillos typically eat adult insects and larvae.
Are armadillos dangerous? Why is the armadillo a pest?
According to the University of Florida, when looking for food, armadillos dig numerous holes in golf courses, lawns, flowerbeds, and gardens. The holes range in size from 1–3 inches deep and 3–5 inches wide.
They also burrow under driveways and patios, which can cause structural damage, and burrowing in pastures can pose a potential threat to livestock.
According to the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife, armadillos aren't aggressive toward people or other wildlife but may bite or scratch if handled.
What states do armadillos live in?
Armadillos have been reported in states like Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana and Kentucky, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Armadillo found in Ohio could be historic discovery for the state
