Giant Anteater

Facts

IUCN NEAR THREATENED (NT)

Facts about this animal

Giant Anteaters are amongst the strangest looking creatures on earth. Although many people think it is the nose that gives the giant anteater its peculiar shape it actually is the head itself which is prolonged and terminating in a tiny mouth. The mouth opening is no more than only a few millimetres. The snout bears no teeth at all. Thus, the giant anteater truly is an "edentate". Usually it is a solitary animal foraging the grasslands for its preferred food items - ants. It is found anywhere where there is plenty of ants. The long snorkel-like snout is perfectly equipped for the intake of ants and other small insects. The tongue, which is the longest in the mammalian world, can be extended as much as 60 cm. The sticky saliva, produced by enormous glands, helps in getting hold of the tiny prey animals. It has been estimated that an adult animal needs to consume approximately 35,000 ants per day. The strong claws on the forehand are commonly considered to be of use in ripping open termite hills. In reality they are dangerous weapons with which the otherwise harmless animal offends its prime enemies - jaguars and cougars.

Usually one young is born which is carried on the mother's back for at least 10 months. An interesting fact is the coloration of the animals. The young's position on the back is exactly so that the black stripe on the side is consistent with the mother's stripe - a specific type of camouflage.

Did you know?
that the giant anteater's name is quite appropriate as the main food item are ants. It can be read in many books that the giant anteaters' main food source are termites as they can often be seen ripping termite mounds apart. But from in situ observations it is known that they are looking for ants which inhabit the mounds after the termite population has died out or left it.

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	XENARTHRA (PILOSA)
Suborder	VERMILINGUA
Family	MYRMECOPHAGIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Myrmecophaga tridactyla
Name (English)	Giant Anteater
Name (French)	Fourmilier géant, Tamanoir
Name (German)	Grosser Ameisenbär
Name (Spanish)	Hormiguero gigante, Oso hormiguero, Oso caballo
Local names	Brazil: Tamanduá-bandeira, Yurú mi (Indian.)
CITES Status	Appendix II
CMS Status	Not listed

This factsheet was compiled by
Frank Brandstätter, Zoo Dortmund, October 2005

Photo Copyright by
Malene Thyssen

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Central and South America, from Belize and southern Guatemala to northern Argentina
Habitat	Savannahs, grasslands, deciduous forest and rain forest; with a preference for open vegetation
Wild population	Unknown, but locally abundant (Red List IUCN 2011)
Zoo population	257 (123.128.6) are registered by the International studbook (Dec 31, 2007). The Studbook was established in 1988 and is kept by Dortmund Zoo.

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 75 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Howard Cheng

Why do zoos keep this animal

Until recently giant anteaters have only been kept as additional animals in multi-species South American enclosures. Fortunately they have now become a focus animal for several zoos. Its status in the wild is vulnerable and numbers are declining rapidly in certain parts of their distribution. Thus, there is the chance to preserve one of the most intriguing species on earth for the future as long as there is still time.

How this animal should be kept

As solitary animals giant anteaters should not exclusively be kept in pairs or groups for an extended period of time. Only mothers with their offspring can be kept together for more than a year. On the other hand giant anteaters are a perfect match for mixed species exhibits as long as they are paired with animals of equal or bigger size. Reproduction is also encouraged when male and female are brought together for pairing only. Feeding giant anteaters is one of the most challenging tasks in animal keeping. The main course is a pasty mixture of fruit, milk or curd cheese, honey, dried dog food, eggs, water and peat. The latter proofed to be an important part of the diet. An outdoor enclosure of at least 150 m² is required per pair, and there must be indoor enclosures of 20 m² for each adult animal. Indoors, a minimum temperature of 15°C should be maintained. The animals should have access to the outdoor enclosure and to a pool all year round. The outdoor enclosure should have natural soil covered with grass. Alternatively sand may be used as a substrate. The floor of the indoor facilities should be resistant and smooth. Bedding or floor heating should be provided.