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Giant Anteater

Location:

Currently off exhibit, but can be spotted sometimes in enclosure behind the Maned Wolf

Giant Anteater

  • Beaker (M) 10/27/2008

Identifying Features:

History:

  • Beaker arrived in Phoenix ~2014

  • He will climb up the fence getting all four feet off the ground. 

  • He loves avocados, crickets, and meal worms. When the horticulture team cuts down a big, rotting tree, they will give it to Beaker to rip apart and find all of the bugs. 

  • Incredibly active, loves to dig. 

  • He sleeps laying on his side with his nose tucked under his claw and his tail pulled over his body like a blanket. 

More Information:

  • Powerful claws

  • Walks on knuckles of front feet

  • "Drinks" prey by creating vacuum in throat

  • 2 ft long sticky tongue

  • Can flick tongue 150 times per minute

  • Up to 30,000 ants in one day

  • Body temp: 91 degrees - lower body temp means it needs fewer calories

  • Lowest resting body temp of any placental animal (not marsupials)

  • Tail acts as a blanket to trap heat when it's cold

  • Giant Anteater Conservation https://www.giantanteater.org/

  • Zoo supports "Highways and Anteaters" in Brazil

  • Species most killed on roadways in the Cerrado in Brazil

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