Live-capture Techniques for Colonizing Nine-banded Armadillos

Dasypus novemcinctus (Nine-banded Armadillo) has recently expanded its range northward into Illinois. With this range expansion comes concern from both wildlife managers and the public regarding potential incoming pathogens and unknown impacts on native wildlife. However, to conduct field studies of armadillos in newly colonized areas, information is needed regarding capture methods and efficiency. We attempted several methods to capture colonizing armadillos in southern Illinois during 2019-2020, including spotlighting on roads, staking out burrows, unbaited single-door cage traps, and unbaited double-door cage traps. Based on the ratios of trap nights per capture and person-hours per capture, double-door cage traps were the most efficient method to capture armadillos, and we suggest other researchers use this method in low-density populations.