A remarkable and somewhat elusive anteater found in the tropical forests of Central America and northern South America, from southern Mexico to western Colombia and Venezuela. It’s one of only two species in the Tamandua genus and is specially adapted for a life spent foraging for ants and termites both on the forest floor and in the trees. With its unique appearance, long tongue, and solitary habits, the northern tamandua is one of the more unusual and fascinating mammals in the Neotropics.
Their tail is strong, flexible, and bare on the underside, acting like an extra limb that allows the tamandua to grip and balance in trees. Its body is stocky and muscular, with powerful forelimbs ending in long, curved claws designed to tear into insect nests and decaying wood.
The northern tamandua has a distinctive coat pattern: most individuals are pale yellow or cream-colored with a bold, black “vest” covering their shoulders, back, and flanks. This color pattern gives the appearance of the animal wearing a jacket and helps it blend in with the dappled light of the forest canopy. Some individuals, especially in drier or more northern habitats, maybe more uniformly colored, but the vest pattern is the most iconic.
One of the tamandua’s most impressive features is its tongue, which can extend up to 40 centimeters (16 inches). Covered in sticky saliva, the tongue allows the animal to probe deep into ant nests, termite mounds, and logs to extract its prey. Despite having no teeth, the tamandua is an effective insect predator, consuming tens of thousands of ants and termites per day. It is also known to eat bees, larvae, and even some fruit on occasion.
Distribution
Belize
Colombia
Costa Rica
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
PeruAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
