Life History:
The newest member of our wildlife community on Seabrook Island is the armadillo. Armadillos are a non-native species in the United States. There are 20 species of armadillos found in Central and South America but only the nine-banded armadillo is found in the United States. This species originates from central America, first appearing in Texas in the 1880s. Since that time, they have continued a range expansion eastward and northward, arriving in parts of South Carolina as early as the 1980’s but not appearing on Seabrook until very recently. It is predicted that they will extend their range north at least as far as eastern Virginia.
Preferred habitat is dense, shaded cover with loamy or sandy soils near water – sounds like Seabrook Island! Their home range is generally less than ten acres. They routinely wade shallow water areas and are capable of swimming, so the fact that we are an island has not deterred their migration. Preferred foods are grubs, earthworms, ants, beetles and similar insects. Armadillos have one litter of young per year and always produce identical quadruplets derived from a single fertilized egg.
In tropical climates, armadillos are generally nocturnal but as they move north, they become diurnal during cooler months. As a result of their armored shell, they lack the hair/fur associated with most mammals and, therefore, have difficulty regulating their body temperature. At Seabrook, they will generally be seen from dusk to dawn but during our colder months we will likely frequently see them during daylight hours.
Potential Impacts to Seabrook:
Although the armadillo is a unique and interesting addition to our diverse wildlife community, their arrival here may have some impacts on residents. The primary damage done by armadillos relates to their digging. They dig holes for dens much like groundhogs, the difference being that a single armadillo may have up to 15 burrows. This may not be a significant problem if those dens occur in dense cover but often, armadillos will dig dens in lawns, under walkways and along foundations. We have seen a number of examples of this recently at Seabrook. More of a problem may be their foraging for food. Almost all their diet consists of worms, burrowing insects and insect larva. They have a great sense of smell and are capable of smelling a grub or earthworm up to 6 inches below ground. They can destroy lawns, landscape areas and golf courses by digging hundreds of holes up to 6 inches deep.
Continue reading “Armadillos, Our Newest Wildlife Species”
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