In which area of Illinois are Eastern woodrats (*N. floridana*) typically concentrated?

Answer

Primarily in the southern reaches where suitable bluff habitat exists.

While the Eastern woodrat has a broad distribution stretching northward to New York and westward into Illinois, its presence within Illinois is not uniform. Observation reveals that populations are chiefly concentrated in the southern parts of the state. This localization corresponds with the availability of specific microhabitats, most notably suitable bluff environments, which provide the necessary rocky outcrops and cover that woodrats seek for establishing their middens.

In which area of Illinois are Eastern woodrats (*N. floridana*) typically concentrated?
locationhabitatanimalrodentwoodrat