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Giant Anteater

Location:

Beaker is currently in the old Jaguar exhibit across from the Asian Rhino.

Giant Anteater

  • Beaker (M) 10/27/2008

Identifying Features:

CONSERVATION: The Phoenix Zoo supports the Anteaters & Highways Project in Brazil, which is working to understand and mitigate the threats that highways pose to giant anteaters. This project also monitors the release of orphaned giant anteater pups to evaluate best practices for reintroductions.

LEARN MORE HERE: https://www.giantanteater.org/

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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