Break out your explorer hat and binoculars! The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is asking the public to report any sightings of a nine-banded armadillo to help biologists track their expansion within the state.

Armadillos are native to Central and South America and are slowly migrating to the southeastern United States, according to a press release from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. There have been more than 898 reported sightings of a nine-banded armadillo in N.C. across 70 counties in the past 16 years as stated in the press release.

The placental mammals dig for food and lack thick insulation needed to survive the frigid N.C. winter. The N.C. Wildlife Commission says freezing conditions are pushing the armadillos northward in attempt to escape the cold.

“Whether armadillos continue spreading beyond their current range will be largely determined by climate,” according to Colleen Olfenbuttel, the Commission’s black bear and furbearer biologist. “The number of counties with confirmed observations is 28, stretching from Cherokee to Dare counties. This makes it likely the armadillo is expanding its range naturally throughout North Carolina, rather than being helped by human intervention.”  

If you see an armadillo in the wild, the N.C. Wildlife Commission urges citizens to participate in the NC Armadillo project by uploading a photo to the iNaturalist app, available for iPhone and Android.

Another option is for observers to send an email to armadillo@ncwildlife.org, including a photo of the armadillo (if available), the date and place of the sighting, and location of either GPS coordinates and/or a detailed description, according to the press release.

To learn more about nine-banded armadillos in North Carolina, check out the Comission’s armadillo species profile or their 2022 range expansion report.