Nashville Zoo is happy to announce the birth of a male Giant Anteater on July 17. For the Zoo, the newest addition is the fourth pup born in the past 10 months. Both mother and baby are doing well and living together in the off-exhibit Giant Anteater barn.

“We now have 15 Giant Anteaters at Nashville Zoo which is the largest collection in North America,” says Rick Schwartz, Zoo President. “While they are not currently on public display, we do hope to change than in the future. In the meantime, we will continue to learn more about this little known and threatened species both in captivity and in the wild.”

Photo credits: Amiee Stubbs

Giant Anteaters are solitary animals from the tropical forests of Central and South America. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Giant Anteater as vulnerable due to habitat loss and hunting. Giant Anteaters are considered extinct in areas of Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Uruguay.