Happy Panzerschwein Day!
Nov. 2, 2005:
I encounter my first wild armadillo.
Now this occasion is celebrated each May 2, heralding this six-month anniversary.
During the Great Depression, the species was hunted for its meat in East Texas, where it was known as "Hoover Hog" by those who considered President Herbert Hoover to be responsible for the depression. I am hereby re dubbing it the Obama/Bush-hog in honor of you-know-who. (De Dashes be Silent).
Early Pennsylvania Dutch tourists to Texas would often refer to the armadillo as Panzerschwein ("armored pig") as they ran over them with their unsprung, horse drawn buggies, causing a back-wrenching jolt to the occupants. Ach du Lieber, Panzerschwein!
In 1995, the nine-banded armadillo was, with some resistance, made the state small mammal of Texas (replacing Ross Perot), where it is considered a pest and is often seen dead on the roadside sporting an empty can of beer.
They first forayed into Texas across the Rio Grande from Mexico in the 1800s, eventually spreading across the southeast United States. The Reagan administration granted them wholesale amnesty and automatic citizenship because "There's just too darn many to try and round up and deport"..
"Many armadillos are nocturnal. They live in burrows when not active, sometimes solitarily and sometimes in groups. The nine-banded armadillos will share burrows, one sex being found in any one burrow. The burrows are 2-3 feet beneath the surface and are not branched."
(Yikes! We'll assume they are not married, just "very friendly" roomies.)
"Rivers are no obstacles to armadillos, for although they are heavy with their coats or armor, they gain added buoyancy by swallowing air to blow up the intestine. The nine-banded armadillo is said to be able to submerge for 6 minutes." (Which really should be adequate for crossing most rivers, wouldn't you think?)
"Some armadillos have an unusual gait. (might this be from having an intestine full of air?) The soles of the hind feet are pressed against the ground but the fore feet are raised up on the strong pointed claws."
(Giving birth to the term "armadillo two-step", often exhibited by tourists (Pennsylvania Dutch?) shuffling from the buggy to the "information center" at rest stops on the Interstate.)
reference: www.everwonder.com/david/armadillo/
I encounter my first wild armadillo.
Now this occasion is celebrated each May 2, heralding this six-month anniversary.
During the Great Depression, the species was hunted for its meat in East Texas, where it was known as "Hoover Hog" by those who considered President Herbert Hoover to be responsible for the depression. I am hereby re dubbing it the Obama/Bush-hog in honor of you-know-who. (De Dashes be Silent).
Early Pennsylvania Dutch tourists to Texas would often refer to the armadillo as Panzerschwein ("armored pig") as they ran over them with their unsprung, horse drawn buggies, causing a back-wrenching jolt to the occupants. Ach du Lieber, Panzerschwein!
In 1995, the nine-banded armadillo was, with some resistance, made the state small mammal of Texas (replacing Ross Perot), where it is considered a pest and is often seen dead on the roadside sporting an empty can of beer.
They first forayed into Texas across the Rio Grande from Mexico in the 1800s, eventually spreading across the southeast United States. The Reagan administration granted them wholesale amnesty and automatic citizenship because "There's just too darn many to try and round up and deport"..
"Many armadillos are nocturnal. They live in burrows when not active, sometimes solitarily and sometimes in groups. The nine-banded armadillos will share burrows, one sex being found in any one burrow. The burrows are 2-3 feet beneath the surface and are not branched."
(Yikes! We'll assume they are not married, just "very friendly" roomies.)
"Rivers are no obstacles to armadillos, for although they are heavy with their coats or armor, they gain added buoyancy by swallowing air to blow up the intestine. The nine-banded armadillo is said to be able to submerge for 6 minutes." (Which really should be adequate for crossing most rivers, wouldn't you think?)
"Some armadillos have an unusual gait. (might this be from having an intestine full of air?) The soles of the hind feet are pressed against the ground but the fore feet are raised up on the strong pointed claws."
(Giving birth to the term "armadillo two-step", often exhibited by tourists (Pennsylvania Dutch?) shuffling from the buggy to the "information center" at rest stops on the Interstate.)
reference: www.everwonder.com/david/armadillo/
Labels: Armadillo, Obama/Bush-Hog, Panzerschwein
posted by GemDandy | 5/02/2009 10:06:00 AM
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