Determining habitat preferences of Dasypus novemcinctus and assessing prevalence of Hansen's disease in Tennessee with assistance from community science data

The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus L.) is currently considered an invasive species in parts of its range in the United States. As it continues to expand its range, more states may begin to consider armadillos an invasive or nuisance species and will need to make management decisions regarding this species as (1) a pest for landowners or land managers, (2) a possible threat to other species of conservation concern, and (3) a vector for Hansen’s disease (leprosy). Although research funds are scarce for a species that is currently not seen as a threat or an endangered animal, there are ways to use limited resources and community science to assist in filling knowledge gaps, which can then provide a baseline for where to begin research efforts. My research used community science and roadkill surveys to study habitat preferences across the state of Tennessee and tested roadkill for Hansen’s disease prevalence.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Author dc:creator

• Turner, Carissa

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gaudin, Timothy J.
• Loughry, W. J. (William James); Wilson, Thomas P.
• College of Arts and Sciences

• Nine-banded armadillo--United States--Tennessee
• Introduced mammals--United States--Tennessee
• Biogeography

Licence

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language

English, eng

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/780

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-1957