With an influx of babies at Drusillas over the past few months, zookeepers are hoping their latest addition will contribute to some pups of the armadillo kind.
Nicknamed Tank, due to his impressive size, he travelled slightly further than The Proclaimers 'to fall down at the door' of his two new potential love interests at the zoo park.
In fact, two keepers embarked on a road trip of 766 miles to collect the yellow armadillo stud, who now resides with Patsy and Eddie, who arrived at the park a year ago.
They're getting on so well that they even share a dinner plate, when they're not snuffling around the enclosure together, and it’s hoped the six-banded male will eventually turn the girls' heads, forming a breeding group and welcoming some new pups in the near future.
Keeper Amelia Jones commented:
“It’s always a tentative time introducing new animals to each other, but our girls are so confident that it didn’t phase them at all having a new friend… and we’ve definitely already seen some flirting going on so I think they don’t mind at all!”
Amelia continued:
“We’ve got so used to Patsy and Eddie, who are still quite young ladies, that when I collected the new male from Northumberland Zoo, it was quite a surprise how much bigger he seemed. Some of the team started jokingly calling him The Tank, and it’s stuck! He’s a real sweetie though and seems a little calmer than our two boisterous girls so I think he’s going to be a good influence on them.”
Drusillas told us:
Six-banded armadillos are found in the wild across much of South America, in grasslands, rainforests, and plantations. Unlike some other armadillos, the six-banded cannot roll into a ball, and are diurnal so they are most active during the day.
Many of the animals at Drusillas are involved in breeding programmes, often monitored by studbook keepers, to ensure the future survival of the species. Drusillas has never had a breeding group of armadillos, so the team are all very excited about the prospect of a new species that could be born at the Zoo.
Drusillas offer one-to-one close encounters with the armadillos. Tank, Patsy and Eddie will all be taking part in these experiences which involve a 30-40 minute armadillo feeding session with an experienced keeper to answer any questions. An unforgettable experience meeting this cheeky trio- with hard shells and soft hearts!
Located just off the A27 in Alfriston, Drusillas Park is open daily from 10am. For more information please telephone 01323 874100 or visit www.drusillas.co.uk
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