Plan You Visit
Find out how to make the most of your trip and book tickets here.
Book a Hotel!
Find the perfect place to stay during your visit to Edinburgh and the Zoo!
Adopt an Animal!
Are you an ardent animal lover? looking for a gift idea?
Why not adopt an animal from either Edinburgh Zoo or Highland Wildlife Park for a whole year!
| Common Name: | Giant anteaters | Family: | Myrmecophagidae |
| Latin Name: | Myrmecophaga tridactyla | Diet: | Insectivore |
| Type: | Mammal | Habitat: | Woodlands, Grasslands Tropical Rainforests |
| Native To: | South America | Social Unit: | Individual |
| IUCN Red List Status: | Near threatened |
Giant anteaters at Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo has two adult giant anteaters: a male that was born in 2004 and a female that was born in 2005. This breeding pair came to the Zoo in April 2009. Unbeknownst to us, the female of the pair was already pregnant! We were delighted to welcome a giant anteater baby in May 2009. In April 2010, the baby was identified as female.
Where it can be found at Edinburgh Zoo
The giant anteaters can be found at the north end of the park. They share an enclosure with the maned wolves.
Giant anteaters in the wild
Giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) are native to Central and South America. In times past, they had a huge range that stretched from Belize to Uruguay. However, populations of the giant anteater have been declining, with populations disappearing in Central America and the southern part of its range.
Giant anteaters live in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, woodlands, and rain forests. They are typically solitary animals, coming together only to reproduce. The female anteater produces a single offspring after a 190-day gestation period. The baby anteater spends most of its time riding on its mother’s back, until it is almost half her size. Baby giant anteaters become independent from their mothers at about 24 months of age.
Giant anteaters have no teeth. As their name suggests, their diet consists mainly of ants, termites and other insects. The anteater uses its long tongue to probe into the openings of ant and termite colonies, using its sticky saliva to trap insects. Instead of chewing, anteaters crush their food using hard growths on the inside of their mouths.
This species is the largest of the anteaters, with a long snout (up to 45 cm or 18 inches), and a body length from nose to tail measuring up to 185 – 210 cm or about 6 – 8 ft! They have thick, stiff hair that is longer toward the tail. Their coat is brown and black with black and white stripes on the shoulders. The forelegs are white, with black bands at the toes.
Giant anteaters have 5 claws on each foot, with the inner 3 claws of the front feet very long and sharp. It uses these claws for defence, rearing up on its hind legs and using its strong tail for balance as it quickly lashes out with these sharp weapons. Anteaters have been known to kill their main predators, which include big cats like jaguars and cougars!
Giant anteaters face many threats, most from humans and human activity. They are hunted for food and are killed as pests. They are also taken for the pet trade. Habitat loss and destruction is another major threat to this species. Because of these threats and the giant anteater’s slow reproductive rate, the population size of the giant anteater has seen significant reductions. This has led the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to list the giant anteater as Near Threatened, meaning that the species is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.
Breeding programme category: EEP
IUCN Red List category: Near Threatened
View our other animal profiles: