Giant Anteater

The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), also known as the ant bear, is a large insectivorous mammal native to Central and South America. It is one of four living species of anteater and is classified with the sloths in the order Pilosa. This species is the most terrestrial of the living anteaters, unlike its arboreal or semi-arboreal cousins. Its evolution may have been influenced by the expansion of savannas in South America. The giant anteater is the largest of its family, stretching 182–217 cm (5.97–7.12 ft) and weighing 33–41 kg (73–90 lb) for males and 27–39 kg (60–86 lb) for females. It is recognizable by its elongated snout, bushy tail, long foreclaws and distinctively colored pelage.

The anteater can be found in multiple habitats including grassland and rainforest. It forages in open areas and rests in more forested habitats. It feeds primarily on ants and termites, using its foreclaws to dig them up and its long, sticky tongue to collect them. Though giant anteaters live in overlapping home ranges, they are mostly solitary except during mother-offspring relationships, aggressive interactions between males, and when mating. Mother anteaters carry their offspring on their backs until weaning them.

The giant anteater is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It has been extirpated from some parts of its former range. Threats to its survival include habitat destruction and hunting, though some anteaters inhabit protected areas. Because of its distinctive appearance, the anteater has been featured in pre-Columbian myths and folktales as well as modern popular culture.