‘Armored possums’ are getting cozy in North Carolina — and they’re here to stay

Spotting a nine-banded armadillo will likely become common in North Carolina, experts say, as the “armored possums” continue to call more of the state home.

Nine-banded armadillos, the only armadillos species to inhabit the U.S., per the National Wildlife Federation, have spent more than a decade expanding across North Carolina. Although the mammal is somewhat of a newcomer, wildlife officials say it may be here to stay.

Armadillo populations are mostly concentrated in western North Carolina in counties such as Macon, Jackson, Clay and Buncombe. Over the years, more armadillos have broadened their habitats across the state in highly populated places like Wake County, where Raleigh is located.

Some North Carolinians may be concerned with how the mammal interacts with native wildlife or people, considering its recent arrival. Here’s what to know about armadillos and their impact.

How long have armadillos been in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, the first nine-banded armadillo sighting was confirmed in Macon County in 2007, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Between then and 2022, the agency saw almost 900 reports across 70 counties.

The species’ spread has been in a “slow, steady fashion” that mirrors similar migration patterns across the country, Falyn Owens, an extension wildlife biologist who has been with the state agency for six years, told McClatchy News in a phone interview. Moving northward and eastward is common for the armadillo, she said, as it finds new environments where they can “survive and thrive.”

The N.C. commission relies heavily on people to submit armadillo sightings to keep track of where the nine-banded mammal is in the state. Photos are preferable, Owens said, so there’s solid evidence to chart.

“We don’t have a ton of wildlife biologists that can just sort of be running around finding armadillos all day long,” she said. “So the public, the people of North Carolina are a really powerful tool for us to have eyes and ears on the ground to see what wildlife is doing.”

Why are armadillos expanding throughout the state?

Armadillos’ arrival to North Carolina had been a “slow crawl,” Owens said. But it was something wildlife biologists were anticipating for a long time.

The species is native to South America, according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, but has incrementally moved northward through Central America and into the U.S. over the past few centuries. The first nine-banded armadillo sighting in the U.S. was in Texas during 1849 and expanded throughout the country since.

Armadillos’ highly adaptable nature also made their entrance into North Carolina more of a question of “when” rather than “if.” They are capable of living in a variety of different habitats and can rely on a plethora of food sources — worms, grubs and fallen fruit were a few Owens named.

Their range is determined primarily by the humidity in the air, Owens said, as they do not do well in arid or freezing conditions.

Adaptability can be an advantageous characteristic of a species, as it helps certain animals respond to changing aspects of their environment like climate patterns, Paul Taillie, a University of North Carolina-Chapel hill geography professor, told McClatchy News in a phone interview.

“I think a lot of times, we don’t give animals enough credit for dealing with changing conditions,” he said. “They’re pretty good at that.”

One environmental factor that doesn’t seem to have played a major role yet in why armadillos moved into North Carolina is climate change, Owens said.

Taillie agreed with Owens’ assessment that “climate change isn’t the only thing going on” for armadillos. Although climate change can play a role in some animals’ movement to different areas, armadillos were already experiencing range changes before notable increases in global temperature, he said.

Urban and agricultural development could impact how the species has moved throughout the country, which has been observed in range patterns of other animals, he said.

“We tend to point the finger at climate change maybe a little too often,” Taillie said. “And we kind of forget about these things that have been happening for a very long time, like land use change, that have huge implications for animals.”

Climate change can’t be ruled out as a determinant of how far armadillos will continue to expand across the country however, Owens said. Depending on the climate, armadillos could continue northward in areas they may not have been able to previously.

Do armadillos pose any risks to people or other wildlife?

Many people tend to associate armadillos with leprosy, but the connection between the two aren’t very strong, Owens said. While armadillos can carry leprosy-causing bacteria, most don’t have it, she said. Armadillos were also used in the research of developing medical treatment for the disease, she said.

The same bacteria that causes leprosy can be found in soil , which is why it’s recommended to wear gloves while gardening.

Armadillos are also considered “naturalized” rather than “invasive,” Owens said, which means the state agency hasn’t observed any substantial harm caused by the new mammal in North Carolina.

One of the more negative impacts for people could be armadillos burrowing on their property. In that case, it’s suggested that wildlife professionals are called to remove the animal, Owens said.

However, those burrows actually provide some benefit to other animals, Owens said, as some foxes, groundhogs and skunks may use it as their own habitat.

Will armadillos leave any time soon?

Learning to co-exist with armadillos may be the preferred practice for North Carolinians, as it doesn’t appear they’re leaving any time soon.

“It’s very, very likely one day — I can’t necessarily tell you how many years it will take — but one day, we will likely have an established population of armadillos in every county in North Carolina,” Owens said.

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