The migration route of armadillos is filled with mysteries. As early as around 1850, the nine-banded armadillo crossed the Grande River and successfully settled in North America. These armadillos, about the size of a large cat and weighing between 2.5 to 6.5 kilograms, can increase their buoyancy by inhaling large amounts of air, allowing them to easily swim across rivers. They can hold their breath for up to 10 minutes, gliding through the water with bubbles before climbing back onto land.
The ancestors of these animals appeared in South America about 58 million years ago and lived in isolation for a long time. It wasn't until about 5 million years ago that a land bridge formed between the Americas, prompting large predators to migrate south and forcing the ancestors of armadillos to flee to North America. However, around 11,000 years ago, armadillos suddenly disappeared, only to reappear in the areas north of the Grande River less than two hundred years later. The reasons behind this sudden disappearance remain an unsolved mystery.
