Armadillos – a species native to South America – have invaded various parts of the United States over the last few decades, and are now starting to become a predominant species in South Carolina.

Typically seen in southern states like Texas and Florida, armadillos have now made their way into all 46 counties in the Palmetto State – and into North Carolina and Tennessee. This comes after the animal – whose name translates to “little armored one” in Spanish – first began to appear in the South Carolina Lowcountry more than four decades ago.

Driving the expansion of the species? A lack of natural predators (well, aside from Palmetto State drivers).

The most notable type of armadillo – the nine-banded armadillo (or Dasypus novemcinctus) – has been spotted throughout South Carolina, and is easily identifiable by its distinctive plated armor, which is so thick and tough it is difficult for even an alligator to penetrate.

Armadillos are not a threat to humans or pets as more than 90 percent of their diet consists of insects. Also, they rarely grow larger than a typical housecat. Nocturnal hunters, armadillos also feed on earthworms, scorpions, spiders, termites and other invertebrates – including maggots and pupae. According to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), they also eat fruits and vegetables – such as berries and roots – and lizards, small frogs, snakes, and the eggs of upland birds.

While armadillos are not a threat to humans, approaching them is ill-advised as they can be infected with mycobacterium leprae – which is the causative agent of leprosy. Furthermore, SCDNR notes that armadillos can also carry trypanosoma cruzi – the parasite responsible for Chagas disease – which is spread between insects.

As a result, citizens are advised to “avoid touching armadillos with bare hands, and avoid contact with their blood and fluids” – although the link between armadillos and leprosy has been overstated, per survivalists.

The animal’s meat is fit for human consumption, and has a high caloric content.

Just be sure to cook it well-done…

According to the late naturalist Rudy Mancke, armadillos have the unique trait of reproducing by giving birth to identical quadruplets – or four offspring which split from the same embryo. Armadillos also begin reproducing at an early age – just one year old.

“Females produce one litter per year during March or April after 150 days of gestation,” SCDNR noted.

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The biggest issue with armadillos in South Carolina, though, is the damage they cause to lawns when scouting for food. While armadillos hunt at night, during the day they burrow underground for refuge – creating tunnels that are between seven and eight inches in diameter and up to eight feet deep and 25 feet long.

“Obviously, we get a lot of complaints at DNR about them rooting up the lawns,” SCDNR’s Jay Butfiloski told S.C. Public Radio recently. “Those usually show up in the late afternoon. They’ve got really strong claws and they can burrow pretty quickly. It’s a lot of lawn damage, and from a farmer’s standpoint, burrowing activity with holes could be a potential danger for livestock, or even equipment if it falls in, into any places where they’re dug out.”

SCDNR recommends building fences or barriers that are twelve to eighteen inches deep (deeper for sandy soil) that extend to at least three feet high to avoid any lawn damage. If an armadillo is spotted in your yard, avoid contact with the animal and notify SCDNR.

“There is no closed season on armadillos with a valid hunting license on private lands,” SCDNR noted. “Armadillos that cause damage may be shot where it is legal to discharge a firearm.”

SCDNR also permits night hunting of armadillos from the last day of February to July 1 as long as the agency is notified.

So how many armadillos are there in the Palmetto State? No one seems to have a good estimate, but the animal is clearly here to stay…

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from J. L. Mann High School in 2021. She is currently a rising senior at the University of South Carolina majoring in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.

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