Giant Anteater
- Myrmecophaga tridactyla
- Giant anteaters have a distinct color pattern of grey, black and white saddling their back, chest and front legs. The position that the baby takes while riding on its mother's back, causes the line on the pup to line up with the mothers pattern, allowing it to camouflage perfectly and be unseen.
- These toothless mammals are found in tropical forest, open woodland and dry savannah in Central and South America.
- An anteater's tongue can stick out more than 2 feet, and is covered with sticky saliva and rear-pointing spines to help remove ants and termites from their nests.
- Large claws on the front feet enable them to rip open termite mounds. They protect those claws by walking on their knuckles.
- They are currently listed as vulnerable due to hunting and habitat destruction.
Location at Palm Beach Zoo
- On the east side of the Tropics of the Americas suspension bridge.
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