Zoo Animal of the Year 2025
Animal news | 13 January 2025
Well armoured yet under threat ‒ prehistoric mammals with an uncertain future.
Protected by their unique bony armour, they have survived 60 million years on earth ‒ but today many armadillo species are fighting for survival. The Zoo Animal of the Year campaign 2025 is dedicated to protecting these remarkable mammals. Together with its campaign partners and zoological gardens, the Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations (Zoologische Gesellschaft für Arten- und Populationsschutz ‒ ZGAP) is championing armadillos.
As patron of this year’s species protection campaign, Cem Özdemir, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, was keen to make the case for protecting these extraordinary and primeval animals. “Armadillos are silent ambassadors for species conservation. Throughout millions of years of evolution, these fascinating animals have managed to adapt and survive time and time again. But even these little wonders of nature are vulnerable and they are increasingly under threat. Humans are encroaching far too heavily on their habitats and destroying what they need to survive. Armadillos are therefore a symbol of how important it is for nature conservation to think globally and act locally. It is our task to protect their habitat and secure the future of many other species, too. My thanks go to the committed staff at Wilhelma, who are making an active contribution securing the armadillo’s future,” said Cem Özdemir.
The Zoo Animal of the Year campaign focuses on one group of animals each year. The aim is to generate media attention and attract donations for important species conservation work. The campaign concentrates on an entire group of animals rather than individual species. There are 23 species of armadillo, for example, all of which are native to Central and South America. Armadillos are the only mammals that have a shell made of real bone; this is covered by a layer of horn. This armour protects them against predators but also keeps out soil and substrate, as most species are expert diggers and live underground in burrows. Their bony shell also gives armadillos a very primitive appearance.
Dresden Zoo is home to southern three-banded armadillos, which are considered near threatened; you will find them in the Prof. Brandes House. Our breeding pair Bu and Gurt welcomed their most recent pup on 1 October 2024; at birth it was about the size of a table tennis ball but it now weighs over 800 g. Once the babies reach around 1 kg, they leave the zoo for another facility, where they will hopefully go on to have pups of their own.