They do not often inhabit areas of dense human population, but the northeastern expansion of nine-banded armadillos in the United States seems to be linked to man-made roads, bridges, railroads and other travel routes. The habitat of nine-banded armadillos is not limited by human presence. ( Chapman and Feldhamer, 1982 Talmage, 1954 Taulman and Robbins, 1996) ![]() Nine-banded armadillos are also more populous in low-lying lands, often around sea-level. At present, nine-banded armadillos are not common in any regions in which more than 24 freeze-over days occur annually or the average January temperature drops below -2☌. Nine-banded armadillos begin to shiver at temperatures below 22☌, but the warmth of the burrow allows an armadillo to inhabit temperate areas during milder winters. Temperature is also an important factor in choice of habitat. ( "Dasypus novemcinctus", 2008 Stangle, 1994 Talmage, 1954 Taulman and Robbins, 1996) They have been observed near swampy or marshy regions as well, but do not commonly inhabit them. As long as sufficient food and water supplies are available, nine-banded armadillos are very adaptable to different habitats. This association with water could be due the increased number of available food sources in wetter areas or to the softer soil conditions, making digging and burrowing easier. Nine-banded armadillos are not often found in arid regions they thrive especially in riparian habitats or areas with a sufficient amount of water and/or at least 38 cm of rain annually. They are also found in grasslands and savanna regions around woody areas, but much prefer forests over grasslands because they forage in forest litter for small invertebrates. Nine-banded armadillos most often inhabit forest and scrub-brush areas in tropical and temperate regions. Further, human activities have caused a decline in many natural predators of North American nine-banded armadillos. Even so, they do not readily cross large bodies of water. Nine-banded armadillos are able swimmers due to their ability to hold air in their digestive tract, increasing buoyancy they are also able to walk along river bottoms as a result of their ability to maintain a large oxygen debt. The construction of roads and bridges have both facilitated human introduction of nine-banded armadillos into new areas, as well as provided a means for wild nine-banded armadillos to move across the wide waterways and other natural obstacles that would had previously prevented their expansion. Increasing human populations and development of transportation routes are thought to help rather than hinder the geographic expansion of nine-banded armadillos. ( Chapman and Feldhamer, 1982 Macdonald, 1984 Van Deelen, et al., 2002 Wilson and Ruff, 1999) For this reason, nine-banded armadillos have not migrated into the arid, desert regions of New Mexico and other western states. Another factor that has limited their migration westward is dependence on rainfall or other sources of water. They can survive short periods of severe cold by remaining in a burrow for days at a time. However, if winter seasons become milder, nine-banded armadillos may continue their migration northward. Migration and establishment of populations northward is likely limited by the severity of cold, winter weather, for which the species does not have a strong tolerance. ![]() In 2000, the dead body of a nine-banded armadillo was discovered in central Illinois. They have been spotted as far east as Florida and are common as far north as Missouri. ![]() Beginning in the late 19th century, they gradually expanded their range to the northeast. As early as 1850, nine-banded armadillos were found no further north than Texas. Nine-banded armadillos are found in South, Central, and North America, and have the largest range of any extant species of armadillo, from Argentina and Uruguay, through Central America and into the southern United States.
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