Dublin Zoo welcomes giant anteaters and armadillo

Dublin Zoo has expanded its family with the arrival of two fascinating new species: giant anteaters Junio and Milo, and Ozzy the six-banded armadillo.

The giant anteaters, an eight-year-old male named Junio and a ten-year-old female named Milo, have come to Ireland from the Allwetter Zoo in Germany. They have been introduced as a breeding pair. Giant anteaters are the largest species of anteater, capable of weighing over 40kg and reaching lengths of more than 8 feet. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classifies this species as 'vulnerable'.

Joining the anteaters is Ozzy, a one-year-old male six-banded armadillo, also a new arrival from Hagenbeck Zoo in Germany. Native to South America, this species is distinguished by six moveable bands of armor made from bony plates covered in keratin scales. While the six-banded armadillo is listed as 'least concern' by the IUCN, the species does face threats from hunters in its natural habitat.

Eddie O'Brien, Team Leader at Dublin Zoo, expressed his excitement about working with these new animals. "In my 40 years as a keeper, I have never worked with an armadillo," he said. "It's fantastic for us to be working with this new species."

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In my 40 years as a keeper, I have never worked with an armadillo. It's fantastic for us to be working with this new species.