Oregon Zoo welcomes new baby armadillo

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- The Oregon Zoo's armadillo family welcomed a new member with the birth of "Bugsy" last month, the zoo announced Wednesday.

Born on June 10, zoo care staff say Bugsy and his parents, Max and Toby, have been holed up in a private den, with keepers taking a hands-off approach to let the family bond.

“Max is a great mom so we haven’t needed to step in at all,” said Eliza Lee, who oversees the zoo’s armadillo family. “She keeps him nice and cozy in their nest.”

Care staff added that they only recently got a close look at baby Bugsy during his one-month health checkup.

Although adult three-banded armadillos are among the smallest of the species, weighing in at about 3 pounds, Bugsy is now 14 ounces. A rapid growth rate, according to the zoo.

“He’s getting bigger every day,” Lee added. “He still stays close to his mom most of the time, but pretty soon he’ll start venturing out a bit and exploring his habitat.”

Three-banded armadillos are native to eastern Bolivia, southwestern Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.