Armadillos May Soon Become Permanent Residents of Washington County

Armadillos, once associated exclusively with South America, Central America, and the southern United States, are now rapidly becoming part of Indiana’s wildlife. Recent reports suggest they may already be breeding in Washington County.

Photo by Dawn Peek. Used via the Unsplash License.

The first confirmed 9-banded armadillo in Indiana was recorded in Gibson County in 2003, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study published in the journal MDPI. For several years sightings were rare, but numbers have grown quickly. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) currently reports that nearly 80 percent of all state sightings happened between 2017 and 2021, but it is not known if the referenced page has been updated since 2022.

Armadillos were first seen in southwestern Indiana, with experts speculating that they most likely arrived from southeastern Illinois. The Ohio River is a major barrier from the south, so their path into the state likely did not come from Kentucky. Over time, sightings have moved north and east. They now appear across much of the southern half of Indiana.

Washington County has suitable habitat with a mix of forest and stream corridors, with sightings already being reported here according to a geological survey map.

Armadillos are about the size of a large house cat, weighing 10 to 15 pounds, with a hard, leathery shell and strong claws for digging. They feed mostly on insects but will also eat small animals, bird eggs, roots, and fungi.

Armadillos can be active all year if the ground does not freeze solid. They build burrows with multiple tunnels, which can later be used by other animals. Breeding season begins in summer, with females typically giving birth each spring to quadruplets. According to the DNR, females can potentially reproduce for the entire duration of their adult life – up to 15 years in the wild.

The DNR is asking residents to report sightings through its “Report a Mammal” form. Armadillos are protected in Indiana and cannot be trapped or killed unless they are causing property damage. In those cases, landowners may remove them without a permit or contact a licensed wildlife control operator.

This is not the first time armadillos have been part of Indiana’s natural history. Fossils show that a much larger prehistoric cousin, the Beautiful Armadillo, lived here during the Ice Age before going extinct thousands of years ago.

Have you seen an armadillo in Washington County? Let us know in the comments!