Yes, A Screaming Hairy Armadillo Exists — And He Just Moved To Mississippi

August 28, 2025

If you thought you’d heard it all when it comes to animal names, think again. Meet Birk, the newest resident at the Hattiesburg Zoo — a screaming hairy armadillo.

Yes, that’s really what it’s called.

Credit: Hattiesburg Zoo in MS

Birk, whose full name is Birkenstock, is just a year and a half old and came from the Audubon Zoo. He’ll be serving as a zoo ambassador, which means kids across Mississippi will soon be meeting him at schools, churches, libraries, and media events.

So what exactly makes this little guy so unusual? For starters:

He’s covered in hair (unlike most armadillos).

He’s native to the Monte Desert in South America.

He loves to burrow in sand and soil.

He snacks on plants, insects, and the occasional small vertebrate.

And yes… when he feels threatened, he screams. A high-pitched squeal that you have to hear to believe.

Curious? Here’s what a screaming armadillo sounds like:

Screaming. Hairy. Armadillo.