GIANT ANTEATER
The giant anteater is a mammal native to Central and South America. It is one of four living species of anteaters, of which it is the largest member. This species is mostly terrestrial, in contrast to other living anteaters and sloths, which are arboreal or semiarboreal. It is recognizable by its elongated snout, bushy tail, long fore claws, and distinctively colored pelage.
The giant anteater is 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 fore claws 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.
How Giant Anteaters Eat…
Giant Anteaters eat more than ants!
They also eat:
Crickets
Termites
Other critters that live in the dirt
Some fruit
Vegetation
Lizards
Turtles
grasshoppers
spiders
scorpions
Carrion
Carrots
Corn
Rice
Snakes
Anteaters are not dangerous to humans. Anteaters are shy, gentle creatures that spend most of their time foraging for food or sleeping. They will typically flee if they encounter a human, and they have no venom or other means of defending themselves. While it is possible for an anteater to hurt someone if it feels threatened, such cases are rare. In fact, the biggest danger to an anteater is typically humans.
GIANT ANTEATER
The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is an insectivorous mammal native to Central and South America. It is one of four living species of anteaters, of which it is the largest member. The only extant member of the genus Myrmecophaga, it is classified with sloths in the order Pilosa. This species is mostly terrestrial, in contrast to other living anteaters and sloths, which are arboreal or semiarboreal. The giant anteater is 182 to 217 cm (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in to 7 ft 1+1⁄2 in) in length, with weights of 33 to 50 kg (73 to 110 lb) for males and 27 to 47 kg (60 to 104 lb) for females. It is recognizable by its elongated snout, bushy tail, long fore claws, and distinctively colored pelage.
The giant anteater is 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 fore claws 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.
