The Armadillos Are Coming: Be On The Lookout In Northern IL

ILLINOIS — Authorities are asking the public to be on the lookout for armadillos in northern Illinois.

You read that right.

Over the weekend, the Forest Preserve District of Will County posted on social media asking residents to report any sightings of the animals.

“Nine-banded armadillos are slowly expanding their range north and may be making their way toward northern Illinois,” the Facebook post said.

“Most sightings in the state have been in southern counties, but experts are tracking reports from farther north to study the trend. These unique animals, covered in bony plates instead of fur, rely on mild winters to survive, so climate shifts and human development may be helping them move into new territory.”

Armadillos are not native to Illinois but they have entered the southern part of the state in recent decades, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. There have been a few hundred verified sightings in the Prairie State since the 1990s, according to the department, which said the animals are known to breed in Illinois.

Armadillos can survive in areas with annual temperatures above 28 degrees Farenheit.

The department is also asking the public to report sightings of black bears, gray wolves and mountain lions, all of which were once common in the Midwest but no longer breed in the state, although they are occasionally spotted passing through on the hunt for new territory.

To report an armadillo sighting, visit wildlifeillinois.org/report-sightings/report-armadillo-sightings/. To report a large carnivore, go to wildlifeillinois.org/report-sightings/report-large-carnivore-sightings/.