Details
Myrmecophaga tridactyla
The giant anteater is a solitary South American mammal of grasslands and forests. Its activity is flexible, and it specializes on ants and termites.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses grasslands, wet savannas, and open forests. Good habitat combines visible feeding areas with thickets or woodland for resting.
Body length is about 182-217 cm and weight about 27-50 kg. A long snout, tube-like mouth, large tail, and strong foreclaws open insect nests.
It ranges alone and shifts activity with heat and disturbance. At rest, it may cover the body with its tail, breaking up its outline.
It is carnivorous, feeding mainly on ants and termites. It visits nests briefly and uses a long sticky tongue rather than destroying a colony completely.
The young rides on the mother's back, where its stripe helps it blend with her pattern. As it grows, it learns to locate insect nests.
Its status is listed as Vulnerable. Grassland conversion, fire, and road mortality are important pressures.
