A baby Tamandua born at Bioparque M'Bopicuá on September 10 is not only the first to be born at the zoo – it is the first captive-born Tamandua in all of Uruguay.

Photo Credit:  Juan Villalba

Also known as Lesser Anteaters, Tamanduas are native to Central and South America.  Tamanduas are supremely adapted for slurping up ants and termites:  Their long, tubular snout holds a sticky, 16-inch-long tongue, which grabs bugs by the dozen when a nest is discovered. 

Surprisingly, Tamanduas spend most of their time in the treetops, searching for ant and termite nests.  During the day, they’ll sleep in tree hollows used by other creatures at night.

Tamnaduas are not threatened, but they still face pressures from hunting and the pet trade.

See more photos of the baby Tamandua below.

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.