Carly Haywood | Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory | SIU

Carly Haywood

Email:  carly.haywood@siu.edu

Advisors:  Drs. Clayton Nielsen and F. Agustin Jimenez

Research Interest

The nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus, is a fairly recent addition to fauna found in Illinois. Since its first documentation in the state in 1979, the armadillo is becoming increasingly common based on the frequency of reported sightings in recent years. It is expected that the armadillo will continue to move farther north and east in the future. The nine-banded armadillo is known to host both Mycobacterium leprae and Trypanosoma cruzi. Because human conflict with armadillos may rise in frequency with their increasing presence, it is important to document the dispersal patterns of armadillos in Illinois and the presence of codispersing pathogens. My project will consist of tracking armadillos using radio telemetry and screening roadkill samples for Mycobacterium leprae and Trypanosoma cruzi. Through my research, I hope to determine dispersal rates and routes of armadillos, and identify the presence of pathogens like M. leprae and T. cruzi.