![]() ![]() Since 1925, when the armadillo first appeared in Louisiana (Hamilton and Whitaker, 1979), it has increased its range throughout the Gulf Coast corridor of Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle and is today abundant throughout the state of Florida. Thus, we are confident that armadillos were responsible for the depredation observed. Even though armadillo depredation was never directly observed, many of the disturbed nests showed clear signs of armadillo activity (tracks, tail drags, digging) around and within the nest cavity and no evidence of raccoons or other potential predators. The armadillo later consumes the left-over eggs and digs into the nest looking for eggs, egg portions, and invertebrates. In this situation, the raccoon finds and excavates the nest, eating and exposing more eggs as the process continues. In these instances, armadillos may "clean up" unhealthy eggs however, healthy eggs were also destroyed.Īn unintentional interspecific feeding co-operation may exist between the raccoon as the primary predator and the armadillo as a secondary predator. Heat and odors caused by decaying eggs may have attracted both armadillos and raccoons. In many instances, diptera larvae and coleoptera adults were present in the cavity and within some eggs. On many occasions, armadillos unearthed a nest previously depredated by raccoons ( Procyon lotor) or excavated by research personnel. Eggs were dug out of the cavity and apparently consumed as they were removed. Disturbed nests had obvious foot trails around (and in some cases leading to) the nest cavity. Depredation occurred between 5-55 days after egg deposition. The number of eggs destroyed by armadillos ranged from six to approximately 110 in three cases, the total egg clutch was destroyed. ![]() novemcintus as a predator of loggerhead sea turtle eggs at Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge (HSNWR) in Martin County, Florida, and Merritt Island National Refuge (MINWR) in Brevard Country, Florida.īetween 7 July-28 September 1988, 18 loggerhead nests were completely or partially destroyed by armadillos on HSNWR (n=3 nests <1% of total nests) and MINWR (n=15 nests 1.6% of total nests). However, no mention of egg depredation by the nine-banded armadillo ( Dasypus novemcintus) has been made. Non-human predators on loggerhead sea turtle ( Caretta caretta) eggs and hatchlings are well documented by Stancyk (1982) and Dodd (1988). Route 2, Box 97-B, Eufala, Alabama 36027-9294 USAĢMerritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Fish and Wildlife Service, Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge, Marine Turtle Newsletter 45:7-8, © 1989 Armadillo Predation on Loggerhead Turtle Eggs at Two National Wildlife Refuges in Florida, USAĭaniel Drennen 1, Dwight Cooley 2 and John E. Two National Wildlife Refuges in Florida, USA MTN 45:7-8 Armadillo Predation on Loggerhead Turtle Eggs at ![]()
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