Giant anteater

These specialist predators of termites and ants are not immune to ant bites

Pedro Ferreira do Amaral

The largest of the anteater species and member of their order – Pilosa, which they share with sloths. Their greyish or brown coat is long with black and white diagonal markings covering their shoulders. The fur is shaggy on the underside and coarse on the upper side. The tongue is sticky and extremely long, protruding from the mouth for more than 60cm (2 ft). It is the longest compared to other mammals with similar body sizes.

Since they are not immune to ant bites, they typically do not stay long at colonies of ants or termites and move on after feeding for a minute. These anteaters can eat a huge number of ants, up to 30,000-35,000 ants per day.

Distribution

Country
Population est.
Status
Year
Comments
Argentina
2013
Possibly Extinct
Belize
2013
Possibly Extinct
Bolivia
2013
Brazil
2013
Possibly Extinct
Colombia
2013
Costa Rica
2013
Ecuador
2013
El Salvador
2013
Possibly Extinct
French Guiana
2013
Guatemala
2013
Possibly Extinct
Guyana
2013
Honduras
2013
Nicaragua
2013
Panama
2013
Paraguay
2013
Peru
2013
Suriname
2013
Uruguay
2013
Possibly Extinct
Venezuela
2013

Anything we've missed?

Help us improve this page by suggesting edits. Glory never dies!

Suggest an edit

Get to know me

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

Giant anteater on banknotes

Venezuela 10 Bolivars