![]() Strong smells can overwhelm armadillos and drive them away from a property. You can actually use this trait to your advantage if you’re trying to keep them out of your lawn. Instead, they rely on their sense of smell to track prey. Because armadillos are predominantly nocturnal, you may never actually see one.Īrmadillos don’t actually see or hear very well. It is not uncommon to find huge labyrinths created by these notorious little diggers. Armadillos like areas with brushy undergrowth to hide in, easy access to water, and open areas to forage in.Īrmadillos also tend to dig so that they can crawl into a dark, cool spot to sleep. You can also increase your chances of spotting one by looking in the right place. Armadillos den in burrows along creek banks as well as in the natural crevices and openings of the limestone.Armadillos in general are nocturnal animals, and they tend to be most active around dawn and dusk. For instance, opossums and raccoons will often use hollow trees or logs as dens. Was the animal fleeing from a predator? Does the scat contain seeds and berries, or perhaps fur and feathers? Also, look for burrows and possible nesting areas along the trail. The signs left by mammals can often tell an interesting story. Given the difficulty of actually seeing mammals on the Preserve, one of the best ways to identify and learn about the behavior and habitat of mammals is by looking for signs such as tracks and scats (droppings). Depending on the time of day, keep an eye out for fox squirrels in the trees as well as other diurnal and crepuscular species. Since many of the mammals on the Preserve are nocturnal, it is difficult to find species while hiking along the trail. However, during winter, the armadillo will venture out in the warm hours of the afternoon. During the summer, the armadillo is active during the late evening and night. The nine-banded armadillo has adapted to its lack of fur by changing from nocturnal to diurnal depending on the season. This is an ideal time for these species to feed because the light is too bright for nocturnal predators and too dim for daytime predators. The white-tailed deer and the eastern cottontail are crepuscular species, meaning they are active in the early morning at dawn and in the late evening at dusk. Diurnal mammals have eyes that are adapted to bright light and are often colored to blend in with their surrounding habitat. Contrarily, other species such as squirrels are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. Adapted to living in the dark, these species have light-sensitive eyes and darkly-colored fur to camouflage themselves from predators. For instance, skunks and raccoons are nocturnal, meaning they engage in feeding and other activities at night. The mammals of the Preserve are active during different times of the day, depending on the habits and survival techniques each species has developed. The problem of overabundance is further discussed in the White Tailed Deer section. Elimination (or overabundance) of a keystone species can have profound effects on other species and the overall structure of the ecosystem. A keystone species is a species that influences and interacts with numerous other species in the community. Several mammals-including carnivores that keep prey in check and large herbivores such as the white-tailed deer that shape habitat-function as keystone species in the Preserve ecosystem. For instance, the guano (excrement) produced by bats such as the Mexican free-tailed bat serves as a nutrient source for cave fauna. Although none of the mammals are specific only to the Central Texas region, they are an integral part of the Preserve ecosystem and food web. The habitats of the Bull Creek Nature Preserve support an interesting variety of mammals.
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