Audubon Zoo is celebrating the birth of a special set of twins. The youngsters are screaming hairy armadillo pups, and their birth is the first in North America since 2018.

The pups were born in February and can be found in the Zoo’s Nocturnal House, along with both of their parents. The pups are named Birkenstock and Teva, following a family tradition of names related to shoes. Their father is Chaco, who came to Audubon Zoo last fall. He is separated from the pups while their mom, Dillo, handles their care until they are fully weaned and independent. Once they are older and more mature, they will move to new homes and families of their own.   

The screaming hairy armadillo babies are eating solid foods including bugs, fruits and vegetables. This species can go a long time without drinking water, they typically get all the moisture they need from plants they eat.

Screaming hairy armadillos are native to South America – Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay and get their name because hair covers part of their bodies and the sound they make if they feel threatened.

This Tiny New Big Hairy Armadillo at Zoo BRNO in the Czech Republic pup joins the ranks of Czech film director director Václav Marhoul, English singer Phil Collins and Welsh actor Christian Bale in celebrating their birthdays on January 30!  Welcome to the world baby Armadillo!

MORE PHOTOS BELOW THE FOLD!

The one-month-old pup is bonding well with mom and growing more every day

TACOMA, Wash.—The one-month-old Southern three-banded armadillo pup at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium now has a name - Segway!

“Born to parents Vespa and Scooter, the name Segway seemed to fit right in with the family,” said assistant curator Maureen O’Keefe. 

The female pup has quadrupled in size since she was born in late October and is now about the size of a softball, weighing 14 ounces (she was just 3 ounces at birth). She has also opened her eyes and is moving around her den more every day.

Sherman, The Smithsonian National Zoo’s screaming hairy armadillo, goes *wild* for enrichment toys! Magical moments like these happen here every day, inspiring awe and “aww.” Donate today, and your gift will be matched up to $20,000—that’s twice the support to care for National Zoo’s amazing animal ambassadors, like Sherman. ❤️🎁 GIVE A GIFT TO THE ANIMALS: https://s.si.edu/3kVqKSJ.
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TACOMA, Wash.-- Southern three-banded armadillos Vespa and Scooter welcomed a female pup into the world in late October, making them both first-time parents. The pup is the first healthy armadillo pup born at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in its 116-year history.

“She is healthy and the perfect little replica of her parents,” said the zoo’s head veterinarian Dr. Karen Wolf. 

“We’re thrilled to welcome this pup into our animal family,” added assistant curator Maureen O’Keefe.

Keepers monitored mom Vespa’s behavior around the clock leading up to the birth.

Providence, Rhode Island’s Roger Williams Park Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of four nine-banded armadillos on April 23rd! Meet Sophia, Rose, Dorothy and Blanche. Mom Patsy and her pups are doing well and bonding off-exhibit. Animal and vet care staff will continue to monitor them.

Nine-banded armadillos have four identical pups of the same gender in every litter.

Baby armadillos are often called pups and when born, their shell is soft and a light gray/pink.

After a few days their shell will begin to harden until they reach maturity.

‘A’ is for aardvark, anteater and armadillo - Keepers at Longleat are celebrating the births of their very own animal ‘A’ team.

Among the new arrivals is a baby aardvark, the first to have been born at the Wiltshire safari park.

Weighing a little more than a kilogramme at birth, the bizarre-looking calf is born without hair, has drooping ears and wrinkled skin.

Over time it develops hair, the long ears become upright and the wrinkles slowly disappear.

“This is our first ever aardvark birth so we are paying particularly close attention to how the calf is growing and checking its weight daily,” said Team Manager Catriona Carr.

“Aardvark calves can be fragile in their first stages of life, and parents can sometimes be a bit clumsy so we are closely monitoring mother and baby and helping with feeding sessions until the calf has got stronger and can look after itself,” she added.

Originally from Sub-Saharan Africa, aardvarks are renowned for their tunnelling abilities and are capable of digging through a metre of soil in under 30 seconds.

The two-metre-long mammals have specially-adapted spade-like claws on their front legs which allow them to dig out up to 50,000 bugs in a single evening.

They also have tongues measuring in excess of 30cms and nostrils, which they can completely close to prevent dirt getting into their noses.

The other members of the ‘A’ Team are a baby giant anteater and a pair of six-banded armadillos.

Giant anteaters originate from Central and South America and can be found in tropical and deciduous forests.

As its name suggests the giant anteater is the largest of the anteater family and can grow to over two metres in length with tongues that extend to more than 60cm.

The new arrival is the latest success story for Longleat captive breeding programme for the species, which is officially listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. 

As for armadillos, the name comes from the Spanish for ‘little armoured one’ and refers to the hard, protective bands which cover their bodies and protects them from predators. This protective layer is actually made from keratin, the same material which is in our hair and nails.

At the Greensboro Science Center, there are two adult screaming hairy armadillos, Lenny and Rizzo. At the beginning of May, they were placed together for breeding. They were successful and two pups were born on June 19th. These adorable armadillos are the only two born in the US so far this year, an extremely rare and important achievement. The pups, Malcolm and Harriet, are already almost fully grown. They have started exploring their habitat and are enjoying their first tastes of solid food. They will not be fully weaned until they are five months old, so right now they are learning from their mama, Rizzo. When they were brought outside for enrichment, it was discovered Malcolm loves digging! He spent the majority of his time exploring this new environment. And Harriet is enamored with the Burmese star tortoises she met during this time. They have started training and are proving to be just as smart as their mother!

Keepers at Newquay Zoo are currently giving round-the-clock care to a unique Six-banded Armadillo pup.

The zoo is one of only ten zoos in the UK to keep Armadillos, and this is the first pup to be born in the UK this year. Proud parents, Wallace (Dad) and Gromit (Mum), arrived at Newquay Zoo in March 2017.

Keepers at the zoo are overwhelmed by the cute new arrival. Head Keeper, Sam Harley, said, “We are delighted to have this little one - we made the decision to hand rear him to give him the best possible chance of survival. So this means round-the-clock care from the keeping team. We’ve been up through the night to bottle feed him, which can prove very tiring, but it’s all worth it!”

Photo Credits: Newquay Zoo

The word Armadillo means, "little armored one" in Spanish and refers to the tough plated outer shell made of bone that gives protection from predators. Fossils have been found going back to the Ice Age. Armadillos have poor eyesight but a great sense of smell and are efficient burrowers.

Species are found throughout the Americas; the Six-banded Armadillo (Euphractus sexcinctus) comes from South America, mainly Brazil, and is the third largest of the species.

The baby is currently being fed from a bottle of special kitten milk replacement. At just three weeks old, the baby’s eyes are firmly shut, but they will begin to open at around 25 days. When he reaches around a month of age, he will begin to eat more solid food. Over the first four weeks the baby will quadruple in weight and will then start fending for himself.

The species is currently classified as “Least Concern” by the IUCN. Although there is a large population of Armadillos in the wild, they are often hunted for meat and for their armored shell.

Newquay Zoo is proud to be home to this exciting species; the little one will be on show to the public alongside mum and dad in the coming weeks. For more information, visit the zoo’s website at: www.newquayzoo.org.uk .

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The Smithsonian’s National Zoo welcomed two Screaming Hairy Armadillo pups on August 11. The pups are the first ever born at the zoo.

The two little ones spend all of their time in the nest, and their eyes have not yet opened. However, the bony, armor-like plates that cover their bodies are already visible, and are covered with very fine hairs. At their last weigh-in, the pups weighed between five and six ounces each. It is still too early to determine if they are male or female.

The pups’ parents, Amber and Dylan Walter, were recommended to breed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Screaming Hairy Armadillo Species Survival Plan. These are the first pups for both parents. Visitors will be able to see the pups at the zoo after they have grown larger and have acclimated to their enclosure.

Screaming Hairy Armadillos are native to South America and are listed as a species of “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They get their name from the squealing noise they emit if they are threatened and the greater amount of hair they have compared to other Armadillo species. At less than two pounds fully grown, Screaming Hairy Armadillos are the smallest of the three species of Hairy Armadillos.

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