The screaming hairy armadillo is a burrowing animal endemic to Central and South America. The locals hunt it for its meat and shell. This armadillo species has long, thick, bristly hairs all over its body, even on its shell. It is hairier than most other armadillo species. So we immediately know where the second word of its name comes from.

However, the “screaming” in its name comes from the loud distress cries it produces when caught by predators (humans included). Funny thing: the screaming hairy armadillo is a predator of insects and small animals.