Giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla): appearance, behavior, and habitat

Physical characteristics and adaptations

Adults are among the largest of the anteaters, with total length usually more than 1.8 metres when the tail is included. Males and females overlap in weight and size, and both sexes carry a dense, coarse coat with contrasting patterns. The skull is elongated into a tube-like snout that houses a long, sticky tongue; the giant anteater lacks teeth and relies on this tongue to collect insects. Powerful forelimbs end in long, curved claws used to tear open nests and to defend against predators. The animal shares an evolutionary relationship with other xenarthrans such as sloths, but is strictly terrestrial rather than arboreal.

Habitat, range and behavior

Giant anteaters occupy a range of habitats from grasslands and savannas to patches of forest. They typically forage in open or semi-open landscapes and retreat to more covered or forested areas to rest. Unlike several related species that spend time in trees, the giant anteater is largely ground-dwelling; it contrasts with arboreal species and habits described elsewhere as arboreal or semi-arboreal.

Diet and feeding

Specializing on ants and termites, the giant anteater locates nests by scent and then uses its claws to open galleries. It inserts its long, sticky tongue to capture many insects in quick succession. Its digestive system is adapted for processing large numbers of small, chitinous prey rather than chewing—hence the absence of teeth.

Reproduction, threats and notable facts

Females typically raise a single young which rides on the mother's back for a period after birth. Giant anteaters face threats from habitat loss, fragmentation and vehicle collisions in parts of their range. They are notable for being one of the few large, purely insectivorous mammals and for their striking appearance and specialized ecology.

• Distinctive features: long snout, toothless mouth, sticky tongue, large foreclaws.
• Common name: ant bear.
• Behavioral note: terrestrial forager that uses scent and powerful forelimbs to access prey.