A nine-banded armadillo searches for food in Daviess County. This is Indiana’s 50th confirmed nine-banded armadillo, photographed while foraging by state mammalogist Brad Westrich in June 2021. Provided Photo
Fun Facts on Armadillos:
- The nine-banded armadillo is not the first species to occur in Indiana.
- The Beautiful Armadillo existed in Indiana between 40,000 and 11,500 years ago.
- Armadillos are the size of a house cat, weighing 10-15 lbs.
- Armadillos can hold their breath to cross small rivers by swimming or walking along the bottom.
- Armadillos are primarily insectivores, meaning they will eat insects, insect larvae and other invertebrates.
- Predators include black bears, coyotes, bobcats, raptors and humans.
Armadillos are on the move in Johnson County as the population grows throughout the state, bringing curiosity — and possibly a few torn-up lawns.
The nine-banded armadillos, the only armadillo species found in the United States, were first observed in Indiana in 2003. Two reported sightings of armadillos in Johnson County include off State Road 252 on the north end of town limits and near Young’s Creek off U.S. 31.
According to a recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), armadillos are colonizing much of southeastern Indiana and are spreading north and west. With climate change and the unpredictable Indiana weather, the state is now a suitable home for these hard-shell creatures.
Between 2003 and 2018, there weren’t many reports on the species in the area, said Brad Westrich, state mammalogist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, or DNR.
“After 2018, we were able to get a webpage and create some online reporting tools,” he said. “That really helped awareness for people to not only see that they were here, but to report them.”
Since then, the DNR has received hundreds of reports throughout the state with over 230 confirmed reports just this month.
These house-cat-sized animals live and die within their home ranges, but young ones have been on the move, dispersing to new areas, Westrich said. Indiana has always had a suitable habitat, but not always the right climate.
“Now we have a suitable climate for this warm-adapted species where our winters are more mild and they’re actually able to hang on through our winter months and survive until the next spring,” he said. “Then they get out there, breed and spread even further.”
Armadillos are known as powerful diggers and can quickly excavate burrows to seek shelter from predators or weather. This burrowing species could have a positive impact on Indiana’s ecosystem, Westrich said.
As they burrow tunnels and chambers underground, not only are armadillos moving soil, but they are also contributing to nutrient cycling, disturbing plants and seeds and creating habitat for other species that use burrows, he said.
On the downside, there are some potential negative impacts the DNR is investigating, such as competition for resources with other species and being seen as a nuisance to residents’ backyards.
“They do burrow underneath sheds or barns and can be a nuisance for sure by some folks,” Westrich said.
If armadillos have created burrows under structures, residents can illuminate the burrow or place a radio near the entrance to help drive them away. Fumigants, poisons or traps are not advised for armadillo control, according to the DNR website.
Nine-banded armadillos are protected under the Indiana Administrative Code and they cannot be trapped or killed unless the armadillo is destroying or causing substantial damage to property. If property damage is occurring, resident landowners and tenants can remove an armadillo without a permit or contact a permitted wildlife control operator.
Currently, the DNR is not aware of any pathogens that are associated with armadillo populations farther south, but a pathogen surveillance program is in the works.
“As we collect specimens, we can get samples submitted to see if the pathogen that causes leprosy, for example, reaches here and how prevalent it becomes,” he said.
It is important to wear gloves and limit exposure if residents are disposing of, or accidentally trap an armadillo and to wash your hands afterwards, Westrich said.
Surprisingly, armadillos have been spotted in some peculiar places, from fields and agriculture to the streets of Indianapolis and Walmart parking lots.
“They will go where insects are,” he said. “That leads them into people’s lawns and backyards. They’ve also been documented in Indianapolis as roadkill up there.”
Westrich said most of his reports are from the daytime, as armadillos are observed as roadkill by state travellers, but overall they are nocturnal animals.
“They’re going to come out around sunset and do some foraging throughout the night, and you might see them in the morning too,” he said. “As seasons change and it gets cooler out, you are more likely to see them during the day because they are not going to want to be out at night when it is colder.”
Residents can report sightings by submitting a report a mammal form on the Indiana DNR website and can be accessed via phone, tablet or computer. Sightings can be reported by dropping a pin on the map and photos and video can be added as well, along with an email address.
Westrich advises those who see an armadillo to give it space and avoid cornering it.
“They have terrible vision, but can hear and smell very well so they might bumble past you as they’re looking for insects,” he said. “They might not perceive you as a threat until you move towards them. So, just give them their space, enjoy the observation and take plenty of photos and video.”
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