Giant anteater
Myrmecophaga tridactyla
We are home to two giant anteaters here at the zoo - Zeferino, who was born here in November 2019, and Gizmo who arrived in 2023 from Dudley Zoo.
Population
Decreasing
Diet
Insectivore
Habitat
Rivers and wetlands
Fact file
Giant anteaters have no teeth and as their name suggests, their diet consists mainly of ants, termites and other insects
A female anteater will carry her baby on her back until it is almost half her size
They have sharp claws on their front feet, which they use for defence. They have been known to kill their main predators, including big cats like jaguars and cougars!
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Saving giant anteaters in Brazil
Wild populations of giant anteaters are in decline due to habitat loss, hunting and the burning of sugar cane in their native Brazil. As part of our work with Wild Animal Conservation Institute (ICAS), we are supporting Dr Arnaud Desbiez and his team to research the effect road traffic has on populations of giant anteater, with the ultimate goal of making roads safe for both people and animals.
Find out more about ICAS