What are these?
That is a great question! They are called armadillos and they do not belong in Illinois. "Yes, but what are they," you might be asking. Well, to learn more, you've just got to scroll down.
Who's class are you in?
The armadillos are in the class mammalia, and the specific species of armadillo in Illinois is called the nine banded armadillo(1). Unlike the three banded armadillo, nine-banded ones do not role up into a ball(2). They use there bony plate-like armor to protect against predators so they can dig or get away(2). They however cannot live in the northern part of the state because the do not have fur(1).
Whats for lunch?
Armadillos are insectivores (meaning they eat insects) but they also eat small vertebrates, fungi, fruit, and dead animals(1). They are related to anteaters, so they have a long sticky tongue to get insects and sharp claws to get into ant homes(2).
Speaking of lunch
Armadillos are not the top of the food chain, which means they have predators(2). Black bears, cougars, coyotes, raccoons and other mammals hunt the armadillo(2). It is not just mammals that hunt armadillos. Large birds of prey like the hawk also hunt armadillos(2). But how does the armadillo hide from these predators, well scroll down to find out more.
Home, home on the range
The armadillos make burrows with their strong claws. They use bushes and debris around them to create a burrow(3). Their burrows are usually 16.4 feet long and 6.56 feet deep. They are mostly active during the night but can be active during the day in the winter and live up to 8 years in the wild(3). Their home range is often 1.56 to 50 acres (depending on the surroundings)(3).