WASHINGTON — One of the National Zoo’s newest additions is worth shouting about.
Earlier this month, the zoo welcomed Walter, a 3-year-old screaming hairy armadillo. The breed gets its name from the loud piercing noise it emits when it is threatened by a predator, the zoo says.
Walter came from the Cincinnati Zoo and joins three other armadillos in the Small Mammal House.
Other new faces in the Small Mammal House include two new long-tailed chinchillas — a mother and son. They are the National Zoo’s first chinchillas in about five years.
The pair came from the Miami Zoo.
Also, two tiny deer-like animals – the Greater Malayan Chevrotains – are new to the zoo. The animals, which are the smallest hoofstock in the world, are a breeding pair that came from the Bronx Zoo.
The animals, new and old, can be seen during the ZooLights events until Jan. 1 (except Dec. 24, Dec. 25 and Dec. 31) from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m.
Follow @WTOP on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.
