Meet the cute large hairy Armadillos that have just been born at the Tropical Butterfly House near Sheffield

The Tropical Butterfly House and Wildlife Centre tucked away on the outskirts of Sheffield in Anston have welcomed two large hairy Armadillos.

The latest additions, Bert and Ernie, arrived from Banham Zoo in Norwich at the end of November and are now starting to settle into their new home.

A spokesperson for Tropical Butterfly House said: “Our friends at Banham Zoo brought us an early Christmas gift of two large hairy Armadillos.”

Head Keeper Steve Dickie added: “Our new Armadillos have come to join us from Banham Zoo, so if you’re visiting over the Christmas period, look out for them. They’re very active. Obviously, they like to dig around a lot. These guys are native to South America, so like a nice tropical environment to live in.”

Picture released of four adorable baby Red Squirrels born at Sheffield wildlife centre

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 in regions such as Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Eastern Chile.

Population sizes are said to be large, but the species is threatened by habitat destruction and hunting.

Dried Armadillo shells are traditionally used in the production of Andean stringed musical instruments known as Charangos, contributing to population declines.

This species has much more hair than any other Armadillo and are recognised for this feature. Long, coarse hairs project from their bony plates, and they also have an extremely hairy underside.

They also have strong forelegs and sharp front claws for digging.

For more information about the Tropical Butterfly House, visit www.butterflyhouse.co.uk/