Tiny armadillo twin babies have been born at Edinburgh Zoo.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) celebrated the occasion by sharing "adorable" photos of the baby animals, and they are adorable.
The two new male large hairy armadillos are named Pedro Pascal and Montezuma, after the Hollywood actor and Aztec emperor respectively.
The sex of the five-week-old pups was confirmed during their first routine health check, where they were also weighed for the first time. Pedro Pascal came in at 472g, while the weight of Montezuma was found to be 477g.
The pups are currently still dependent on their mother and are spending the majority of their time in their burrow. Visitors to the zoo are likely to see them exploring their enclosure and learning more about their surroundings in the coming weeks as they grow more confident.
Edinburgh Zoo is now home to five large hairy armadillos—Nymeria, Diogo, Wyatt, Pedro Pascal, and Montezuma. Nymeria and Diogo previously welcomed pup Wyatt in May 2022.
Large hairy armadillos are native to the grasslands, forests and savannahs of South America. The RZSS has worked alongside the Institute for the Conservation of Wild Animals (ICAS) since 2010 to "protect giant armadillos and giant anteaters and their habitats in Brazil".
Edinburgh Zoo took to Facebook to share news of the newborn armadillos, and the public were quick to share their thoughts on the "adorable" photos.
One Facebook user shared: "Aww these are the cutest. Made my day on our visit last week."
"They are so cute," a second echoed, while a third agreed: "Absolutely adorable."
Visitors can meet Edinburgh Zoo’s armadillos as part of the charity’s Keeper Experiences and Magic Moment encounters. More information can be found on the Edinburgh Zoo website.
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