Giant Ant Eater

• Anteaters are good swimmers
• Sit on their big bushy tails and rear up to get extra height to fight or dig into a tall termite mound or anthill
• Like to eat bananas, crickets, and avocados (the toxic pits are removed)
• Eat a special “insectivore mash” that keepers soak in hot water, like instant oatmeal, to get it gooey and sticky. This contains all the vitamins and minerals anteaters need to be healthy.
• Anteaters’ body temperature is generally between 90 and 91 degrees Fahrenheit, one of the lowest of all placental mammals.

Giant anteaters are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. They are considered Central America’s most threatened mammal, with population declines estimated at least 30% over the past 10 years. Causes appear to be habitat loss; deaths caused by fires, dogs, and traffic; being hunted for sport, food or as pests; and illegal trade as pets.  Please join our efforts to secure a future for this endangered species by donating to our conservation fund.