The largest Giant Anteater
group in the United States, located at the Nashville Zoo, just got a little bigger
with the birth of a male baby on September 19. The pup brings the total
number of Giant Anteaters at the zoo to 12.

Once
found throughout the northern two-thirds of South America and much of Central
America, Giant Anteaters are believed to be extinct in portions of Belize,
Costa Rica, Guatemala and Uruguay.  They
remain Vulnerable to extinction in the rest of their range.  “Nashville Zoo is a leader in conservation
efforts to save Giant Anteaters from extinction,” said Connie Philipp, mammal
curator at the Zoo.

This is the third birth
for mother Emilia, a wild-caught Anteater from Paraguay. Baby Anteaters
typically cling to their mothers’ backs for several months, gradually becoming
more independent.

Giant Anteaters' unique tubular
rostrums and 24-inch-long tongues are specially designed for slurping
up ants and termites.  Insect nests are
torn open with sturdy, curved claws and up to 300,000 insects are gobbled up in a
single day!

Photo Credit: 
Aimee Stubbs