Like something out of a Dr. Seuss book, this baby Giant Anteater was born January 8th, at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. Only a few weeks old and already sporting a snout that would make any mama anteater proud, the gender is not yet determined, as the little guy or gal spends all day clinging to mom's shaggy coat. (Note: the video can take a little while to load)
Photo and Video: Jennifer Zdon / The Times-Picayune
Baby Anteater Makes Audubon Zoo Debut January 28, 2009 New Orleans, LA It’s not your run of the mill New Year’s baby, but Audubon Zoo in New Orleans is celebrating just the same. Audubon Zoo announces the birth of a giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), on January 8, 2009. Zachary (Zack) and Anita are the proud parents of the youngster, whose gender will be determined in about a month. The South American giant anteater is a unique mammal and always a hit with Zoo visitors. Audubon Zoo now has a total of five giant anteaters. The giant anteater can grow to the length of a German shepherd dog but only weighs half as much. Its coat is covered with stiff straw-like hairs, which grow up to 40 cm long on the tail. At birth, the baby nurses from its mother and is usually carried on its mother’s back for a considerable length of time, even though the baby is capable of a slow gallop four weeks after birth. Anteaters slurp up ants, termites, and other insects in very large quantities, and can sometimes eat 30,000 bugs in a single day. At Audubon Zoo, they eat a special insectivore diet, including yogurt, fruit, and crickets. They love to tear into logs full of termites. Avocadoes are especially favored treats!
