ZooBorns

Back to Back Anteaters for Busch Gardens

Yesterday, we brought word of a brand new Tamandua (Lesser Anteater) at Busch Gardens' Discovery Cove, Orlando, Florida. There's another baby anteater (Giant Anteater) on the Busch Gardens block, this one at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Weighing about 3 pounds at birth, the little boy will ride on his mother's back for about four months until he is ready to walk, explore and find food on his own. Giant anteaters detect insects with their powerful sense of smell, which is 40 times stronger than a human's and allows them to find and eat up to 30,000 insects a day.

 

 

 

Photo by Matt Marriott/Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Spectacular Baby Anteater Photos from Discovery Cove

It’s a boy!  This little guy – a lesser anteater or tamandua – was born just days ago to mom, Cypress, at Discovery Cove, in Orlando, Florida.  The youngster will hitch a ride on mom’s back for the first part of his life until he’s able to walk and find food on his own.  Tamanduas are native to the forests of Mexico to South America.  They use their sharp claws and 16-inch-long tongue (41 cm) to eat up to 9,000 ants in a single day.

Photo credits: David Collier / Discovery Cove

Discovery Cove is an all-inclusive experience in Orlando where guests can swim with dolphins, snorkel among tropical fish and interact with animals.

Playful Baby Tamandua Anteater

Last week the Sunshine International Aquarium in Tokyo unveiled it's newest baby anteater. The little tamandua is quite active and playful. This video is worth watching through.  

National Zoo Announces Anteater Birth

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo is pleased to announce the birth of a giant anteater born March 12, in an indoor enclosure. This is only the second giant anteater to be born in the history of the Zoo.

Wild anteaters' diets consist mainly of, you guessed it, ants. They will also eat fallen fruit if they find it on the ground. Sounds like a refreshing way to wash down all the ants (up to 30,000 a day!)

Photo Credit: Smithsonian's National Zoo. Date: March 13, 2009

Baby Giant Anteater at the Audubon Zoo

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)

Video: Giant baby anteater on display for first time

Photo and Video: Jennifer Zdon / The Times-Picayune