Once You See These Brand New “Screaming Armadillo” Pups, You’ll Be Screaming Too

The Smithsonian's National Zoo announced the birth of two new fuzzy friends, members both of the descriptively named screaming hairy armadillo species.

Zookeepers have been diligently weighing the shut-eyed pups since they entered the world on August 11—as of the most recent measurement, the miniature mammals come in at 144 and 159 grams, respectively, about the weight of a baseball. They are the first of their kind to begin life on zoo grounds.

Screaming hairy armadillos hail from the Pampas of South America, and are known for eagerly burrowing themselves in dunes to expose yummy insects. Acting as living power drills, the comical critters plunge their tapered heads in the sand and twirl around vigorously until a suitably large depression has been made.

Like all armadillos, screaming hairy ones are equipped with a segmented carapace, a body armor that allows the squat little guys to roll themselves into spheres of desert joy. As their name suggests, they’re a bit shaggier than most of their taxonomic cousins, and are known to emit shrill squeals when they feel threatened.

Ryan P. Smith | READ MORE

Ryan graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Science, Technology & Society and now writes for both Smithsonian Magazine and the World Bank's Connect4Climate division. He is also a published crossword constructor and a voracious consumer of movies and video games.