Edinburgh Zoo announce birth of baby hairy armadillo named Wyatt

A new baby hairy armadillo has been born at Edinburgh Zoo.

The adorable pup was welcomed by parents Diogo and Nymeria.

Mum Nymeria gave keepers by a helping hand choosing the youngsters name. Pieces of paper with the two contenders – Wyatt and Kylian – were placed in her enclosure. She walked towards the latter first, so the pup has been named Wyatt.

In 2020, Nymeria was welcomed to Edinburgh Zoo, when she was only 11 months old.

In the wild, the large hairy armadillo is one of the most abundant species of armadillo in South America and can be found in grasslands, forests and savannahs.

While they are often hunted for their meat and shell, or even for pestering farmers, the species has shown amazing resiliency.

They are accomplished diggers and spend most of their time below ground.

While hairy armadillos are not under significant threat, the wild population of giant armadillos is seeing a steep decrease.