Bad news today for all you connoisseurs of that little armored road possum of the south, the armadillo. According to the latest findings, something like fifteen percent of armadillos carry leprosy, and one-third of the cases of the disease in this country appear to be caused by humans preparing and consuming them.
My first thought – OMG, people eat those things? (Do one of these look even remotely appetizing?) Followed by the realization that there are probably people somewhere out there at this very moment shaking their heads and saying “Dang! Gonna have to figure out something new for the next barbecue“…..
daeja's view 
They tend to dig through our mulch beds weekly looking for food, but as I respect all animal life I actually find them fascinating, like little toy dinosaurs. They apparently have poor site and hearing, so you can be right next to a munching baby and it does not appear to notice you. I feel badly for them as they are hit by cars frequently.
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Armor-plated rodents that destroy landscaping and decorate roadways here all the time – a truly lovable member of the animal kingdom. I am glad this news is out – now maybe folks will leave the darling little critters alone. But seriously, I mentioned this late-breaking news to a local Smart Person, who assured me that Florida has nothing to fear – all our cheery friends are leprosy-free.
Apparently, they must first come into contact with humans who have the disease – and nobody around here has it. They are good carriers because of their cool (as in low-temperature – although they are also rockin’ cool as well) exteriors – a must in leprosy transmission.
Maybe now folks will think twice before running the little fellows down.
not.
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