NC Wildlife officials are asking Charlotte residents to immediately report any armadillo sightings this coming Spring and Summer.
According to NCWRC, there have already been almost 900 reported armadillo sightings reported across our state over the past few years, and that number has been dramatically rising.
According to the commission, Armadillos have long been native to Central and South America but they’ve gradually expanded their range northward as temperatures continue to warm up.
“Whether armadillos continue spreading beyond their current range will be largely determined by climate,” said Colleen Olfenbuttel, the Commission’s black bear and furbearer biologist. “Mild winter temperature conditions are good for armadillos. Since they lack thick insulation and must dig for most foods, freezing conditions can cause them to starve or freeze to death.”
If you’d like to help, you can report observations to armadillo@ncwildlife.org.
The email should include:
- A photo of the armadillo
- When it was observed (date and time)
- The location where it was observed (GPS coordinates are best, but a detailed location description is acceptable)
You can find out more about North Carolina armadillos by reading the Commission’s armadillo species profile and by visiting the armadillo webpage here.