These 5 Out-Of-Place Creatures Have Been Spotted In Tennessee And You’ll Want To Steer Clear

We love our home state of Tennessee for myriad reasons, ranging from the beauty of local waterfalls to the peaks of our city skylines, from the rushing rivers to the incredibly varied topography of the land. Still, with such a beautiful space comes a handful of new creatures that most definitely want to make our beautiful state their home. These five animals have recently been spotted in Tennessee, and we aren’t sure how we feel about it…

Wang Jiacheng - Flickr

We know Tennessee for its expansive meadows, craggy mountains and Big Muddy to the west, but what about the creatures of the Volunteer State? You may think of farm animals and those ever gentle deer of the forests, but these five animals have made their way to our home state, and some are more welcome than others.

sue - Flickr

The armadillo has made its way north in recent years, migrating from their original homes in Latin America and Texas to West Tennessee. Most folks will see them on the side of the road, unfortunately, but one should also note that they're slowly making their way east. It won't be long until Knoxville experiences an armadillo population of its own.

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Dean Croshere - Flickr

Fire ants are definitely one of Tennessee's most unwelcome recent guests. They used to make their home deep in the south, in more subtropical areas like southern Louisiana, but their two feet tall mounds have recently been spotted in Tennessee as well. Be aware, because these little guys bite and they bite hard and often. Yikes!

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psybearartist - Flickr

Wait, a manatee in landlocked Tennessee?! Yes, unfortunately, a dead manatee was found in McKellar Lake in West Tennessee after traveling up the Mississippi River. They most likely won't be moving up north from Florida, especially due to the short life expectancy in the cold, but one determined little guy did try.

Anthony Trumbo - Flickr

Did you know that cougars, also known as mountain lions, were once native to Tennessee? They were hunted and crowded out to the point of state extinction in the early 1900s and have only recently been seen in West and Middle Tennessee.

Sue Slick - Flickr

Alligators are perhaps one of the most worrisome animals to make a recent acquaintance with the state of Tennessee. A seven-foot-gator was found in Fayette County just a few years ago, and the reptiles have been found and spotted in East Tennessee as well. We're not quite Louisiana, that's for sure, but we may be sharing a few reptilian species before we know it.

Take a break from hanging with the alligators to visit this Tennessee brewery in a castle. It’s a neat place to visit!