The giant anteater (or Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is a medium sized mammal that lives in the grasslands and forests of Central and South America. As the name suggests, the species feeds almost exclusively on ants and termites, detecting ant colonies by smell, before digging a hole to feed using its long, sticky tongue. The giant anteater has a very distinctive appearance, with a long, tubular snout, small eyes and ears, stocky limbs, a coarse mane and a thick bushy tail. They also have a characteristic pattern across their bodies; white front legs, a grey muzzle and a black strip across their chest, throat and shoulders, with bristly, black to brown tails and manes.
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Myrmecophaga tridactyla
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giant-anteater
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Animal Facts
The giant anteater may visit 200 ant nests and eat up to 30,000 insects in a day.
Giant anteaters have no teeth and very limited jaw movement; they can only open their mouth enough to stick their tongue out and collect ants.
A giant anteater’s tongue is 45cm longer than the length of their skull.
Giant anteaters have no stomach acid, instead using the formic acid made by the ants they eat to digest their food.
Giant anteaters will dig large holes to access water, which are then used as water holes by many other animals.
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