A domestic anteater, a kind and quiet pet. Giant anteater: habitat, interesting facts, photo Dwarf anteater

Anteaters are unusual animals with a rather strange appearance, significantly inferior in popularity to other animal species. There are only four species of anteaters: giant, four-toed, tamandua and dwarf, all of them are united in the family Anteater in the order Inferior. Accordingly, the only relatives of anteaters are armadillos and sloths, although outwardly these animals are completely different from each other.

Four-toed anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla).

The sizes of anteaters vary over a very wide range. Thus, the largest giant anteater is simply huge, its body length can reach 2 m, of which almost half is the tail, it weighs 30-35 kg. The tiniest dwarf anteater has a body length of only 16-20 cm and weighs about 400 g. Tamandua and four-toed anteater have a body length of 54-58 cm and weigh 3-5 kg.

The head of anteaters is relatively small, but the muzzle is very elongated, so its length can reach 20-30% of the body length. The muzzle of anteaters is very narrow, and the jaws are fused together so that the anteater practically cannot open its mouth. Essentially, the anteater's face resembles a pipe, at the end of which there are nostrils and a tiny mouth opening. On top of that, anteaters are completely devoid of teeth, but the long tongue stretches the entire length of the muzzle, and the muscles with which it is attached are unprecedentedly powerful - the muscles that control the tongue are attached to the sternum! The giant anteater's tongue is 60 cm long and is considered the longest of all land animals.

A baby giant anteater, sitting on its mother's back, stuck out its long tongue. In terms of flexibility and mobility, the tongue of anteaters can be compared to that of a snake.

The eyes and ears of anteaters are small, the neck is of medium length, but it seems shorter because it is not very flexible. The paws are strong and end in powerful claws. Only these claws, long and curved like hooks, remind us of the relationship of anteaters with sloths and armadillos. The tail of these animals is long, and in the giant anteater it is completely inflexible and is directed all the time parallel to the surface of the earth, while in other species it is muscular and tenacious; with its help the anteaters move through the trees. The fur of arboreal species of anteaters is short, while that of the giant anteater is long and very stiff. The hair on the tail is especially long, which gives the giant anteater's tail a broom-like appearance. The color of the giant anteater is brown, the front legs are lighter in color (sometimes almost white), and a black stripe stretches from the chest to the back. The remaining species of anteaters are colored in contrasting yellowish-brown and white tones; the color of the tamandua looks especially bright.

The plump bright orange paw pads of the pygmy anteater (Cyclopes didactylus)

Anteaters, like other representatives of the order Incomplete-toothed, live exclusively in America. The largest range of giant and dwarf anteaters is found in Central and most of South America. Tamandua lives only in central South America - Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. The northernmost species is the four-toed anteater, whose range extends from Venezuela north to Mexico inclusive. The giant anteater inhabits grassy plains (pampas), while other species are closely associated with trees and therefore live in sparse forests. The rhythm of life of these animals is unhurried. Most of the time they walk on the ground in search of food, simultaneously turning over stones, snags, and stumps along the way. Because of their long claws, anteaters cannot rest on the entire plane of their paws, so they place them slightly obliquely, and sometimes rest on the back of the hand. All types of anteaters (except the giant one) easily climb trees, clinging with clawed paws and holding on with a tenacious tail. In the crowns they examine the bark in search of insects.

These animals are more active at night. Anteaters go to sleep, curled up and covering themselves with their tails, and small species try to choose more secluded places, and a giant anteater can sleep without hesitation in the middle of a bare plain - this giant has no one to fear. In general, anteaters are not very smart (the intelligence of all edentates is poorly developed), but nevertheless, in captivity they like to play with each other, starting clumsy fights. In nature, anteaters live alone and rarely meet each other.

The giant anteaters at the zoo were having a friendly romp.

Anteaters feed exclusively on insects and not all of them, but only the smallest species - ants and termites. This selectivity is due to the lack of teeth: since the anteater cannot chew food, it swallows insects whole, and in the stomach they are digested by very aggressive gastric juice. In order for food to be digested faster, it must be small enough, so anteaters do not eat large insects. However, the anteater makes the work of its stomach easier by partially grinding or crushing insects against the hard palate at the moment of swallowing. Since anteaters' food is small, they are forced to absorb it in large quantities, so they are in a constant search. Anteaters move like living vacuum cleaners, tilting their heads to the ground and continuously sniffing out and drawing everything edible into their mouths (their sense of smell is very acute). Possessing disproportionately great strength, they noisily overturn snags, and if they encounter a termite mound on their way, they cause real destruction in it. With powerful claws, anteaters destroy the termite mound and quickly lick termites from the surface. During the feast, the anteater's tongue moves at tremendous speed (up to 160 times per minute!), which is why it has such powerful muscles. Insects stick to the tongue thanks to sticky saliva; the salivary glands also reach enormous sizes and are attached to the sternum, like the tongue.

A pair of giant anteaters explore the area in search of food.

Mating in giant anteaters occurs twice a year - in spring and autumn, other species mate more often in autumn. Since anteaters live alone, there is rarely more than one male near one female, therefore these animals do not have mating rituals. The male finds the female by smell; anteaters are silent and do not give special calling signals. Pregnancy lasts from 3-4 (for the dwarf) to 6 months (for the giant anteater). The female, standing, gives birth to one calf, rather small and naked, which independently climbs onto her back. From that moment on, she carries it on herself all the time, and the cub tenaciously clings to her back with its clawed paws. In the giant anteater, the small cub is generally difficult to detect, because it is buried in the mother’s coarse fur. Tamandua females often, while feeding on a tree, place the baby on some branch; after completing all her work, the mother takes the baby and goes down. Anteater cubs spend a long time with their mother: for the first month they remain on her back inseparably, then they begin to descend to the ground, but remain associated with the female for up to two years! It is not uncommon to see a female anteater carrying a “baby” almost equal in size to her on her back. Puberty different types reach in 1-2 years. Giant anteaters live up to 15 years, tamanduas - up to 9.

A female giant anteater with a baby on her back.

In nature, anteaters have few enemies. In general, only jaguars dare to attack large giant anteaters, but this animal has a weapon against predators - claws up to 10 cm long. In case of danger, the anteater falls on its back and begins to clumsily swing all four paws. The external absurdity of this behavior is deceptive; the anteater can cause severe wounds. Small species are more vulnerable; in addition to jaguars, large boas and eagles can attack them, but these animals also defend themselves with the help of their claws. In addition to turning over on their back, they can sit on their tail and fight off with their paws, and the pygmy anteater does the same thing while hanging on its tail from a tree branch. And tamandua also uses an unpleasant odor as an additional protection, for which local residents even nicknamed it “forest stink.”

Tamandua (Tamandua mexicana) in a defensive pose.

All species of anteaters are low-fertile by nature and are very dependent on specific food sources, so these animals have difficulty restoring their numbers in places where they are exterminated. Local residents have always hunted these animals for meat, so the giant anteater is already listed in the Red Book as endangered. However, the greatest danger to them is not hunters, but the destruction of natural habitats. Anteaters are also not often seen in zoos, perhaps due to the low public interest in the little-known animal. At the same time, keeping these animals in captivity turned out to be surprisingly easy. Gourmet anteaters in captivity easily switch to food that is unusual for them - they happily eat not only insects, but also minced meat, berries, fruits, and especially love... milk.

A zookeeper feeds termites to an anteater from a special container.

sucked her face into the vacuum cleaner. But when you pay attention to the clubbed legs, you understand that this is an anteater. Nowadays it is fashionable to have wild animals at home, and some animals are very suitable for the role of pets, and this is our case. These cute animals have excellent character and intelligence.

Characteristics of the anteater

They came to our apartments from America. The anteater has a very strong and prehensile tail, as it is used for climbing trees.

Animal characteristics:

• Body length – up to 65 cm without tail;
• The tail is approximately the same length as the body;
• Color – red, brown, gray, black, and their combinations;
• Life expectancy is up to 6 years.

But the length of the tongue is especially striking - up to 30 cm!

They need such a tongue in the wild, since they feed exclusively on ants and termites. Tearing the top of the anthill with powerful paws, they launch their tongue, which is covered with sticky mucus, into the passages. The tongue is very flexible, it penetrates into every passage, dragging hundreds of insects into the animal’s stomach. In a minute, the anteater manages to fire its tongue up to 160 times, eating tens of thousands of ants per day.

Anteater at home

The anteater became a pet quite recently, but has already managed to secure its reputation as a fairly intelligent and unpretentious pet. For example, it is not a problem for him to open the refrigerator and the front door by the handle.

They get used to people very quickly, they love children and other pets very much, provided that they do not show aggression towards them. Although they are kind, they can stand up for themselves; one blow from a paw with huge sharp claws is not enough. But let us repeat: anteaters use force exclusively for defense; they themselves are not the first to attack.

A distinctive feature of the animal is its love to be cuddled, played with, and dressed up in clothes and jewelry, as in the photo below.

He will not kick or struggle, but will simply lie there and enjoy himself.

They also love to ride in cars, looking out the window with curiosity.

But there are also negative aspects of maintaining their home - the furniture will suffer. Anteaters love to sharpen their claws on furniture and walls, and if a cat simply scratches it, it will render the anteater unusable. It will also require maintenance special diet, because it’s unlikely that you have hordes of ants and termites at home.

Animal diet

And 4 products can replace insects:

1. Chopped meat;
2. Chicken eggs;
3. Fruits.

The only thing is that food needs to be ground, since they have absolutely no teeth. Of course, don't forget to change the water every day. These animals are not prone to obesity, so overfeeding is unlikely.

Buying an anteater

You can buy an animal only in a specialized nursery. You shouldn’t even pay attention to the advertisements; these are most likely smuggled wild animals that may no longer be accustomed to home conditions. No one can guarantee that they are not sick and do not pose a threat to humans.

The price is very high - up to 6,000 US dollars. This is due to the inability of anteaters to breed offspring in captivity after the first generation. That is, if a breeder produces children from a couple, they will never become parents, and the next pair will have to be purchased in their homeland in America. But for lovers of exotic things at home, this is quite a livable sum.

And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed!

Life of an anteater at home, video

Giant Anteater exotic species and some special, exquisite grace can only be compared with an aristocratic greyhound. Maybe that’s why people who are prone to originality and exclusivity have a need to tame this creature, place it in their home, and even take it for a walk, like a pet dog, to everyone’s envy and surprise.

One such original was Salvador Dali in his time. That is, he himself is a generally recognized super-original and shocking figure number one, but even against this background, the 65-year-old surrealist’s tender affection for a giant anteater seemed to his contemporaries a strange phenomenon, to put it mildly.

Dali walked his exotic friend on a golden leash through the streets of Paris, and appeared at social functions holding him on his shoulder. They say that he developed a love for anteaters after he read Andre Breton’s poem “After the Giant Anteater.” Magazine Paris Match In 1969, he posted a photo of the artist leaving the subway onto the street - a cane in one hand, a shaggy, fantastic-looking animal in the other on a leash. He himself commented on his image: “Salvador Dali emerges from the depths of the subconscious with a romantic anteater on a leash.”

So what kind of animal is this?

Anteaters are unusual animals with a rather strange appearance, significantly inferior in popularity to other animal species. There are only four species of anteaters: giant, four-toed, tamandua and dwarf, all of them are united in the family Anteater in the order Inferior. Accordingly, the only relatives of anteaters are armadillos and sloths, although outwardly these animals are completely different from each other.

The sizes of anteaters vary over a very wide range. Thus, the largest giant anteater is simply huge, its body length can reach 2 m, of which almost half is the tail, it weighs 30-35 kg. The tiniest dwarf anteater has a body length of only 16-20 cm and weighs about 400 g. Tamandua and four-toed anteater have a body length of 54-58 cm and weigh 3-5 kg.

The head of anteaters is relatively small, but the muzzle is very elongated, so its length can reach 20-30% of the body length. The muzzle of anteaters is very narrow, and the jaws are fused together so that the anteater practically cannot open its mouth. Essentially, the anteater's face resembles a pipe, at the end of which there are nostrils and a tiny mouth opening. On top of that, anteaters are completely devoid of teeth, but the long tongue stretches the entire length of the muzzle, and the muscles with which it is attached are unprecedentedly powerful - the muscles that control the tongue are attached to the sternum! The giant anteater's tongue is 60 cm long and is considered the longest of all land animals.

A cousin of sloths and armadillos, the giant anteater, like them, is not burdened even with animal intelligence, but is more active and less lazy than sloths living in semi-hibernation. According to the biological classification, all three belong to the order of edentates and three-toeds. But here's the problem: the anteater has no teeth at all - it has no use for them, otherwise nature would have to invent a toothpick to pick out ants stuck between its teeth. And the toes are padded: he has four of them on his front paws, and five on his hind paws. It is not clear who is deceiving whom, the scientists - us, or the anteater - the scientists.

The giant anteater's homeland and its only habitat for the last millions of years is the scrub savannah and sparse forests of South America, from the Gran Chaco in Argentina to Costa Rica in Central America. Unlike his fellow creatures, he is an exclusively pedestrian creature, does not climb trees and sleeps on the ground, in a secluded place, hiding his long muzzle in his front paws and covering himself with his luxurious tail like a blanket.

He is a peaceful animal, he will not offend anyone except insects, he scours forests and meadows day and night in search of anthills and termite mounds. He lives anywhere, sleeps anywhere, waddles around, slowly. Try walking differently, leaning on the backs of your hands. Nature has endowed him with such powerful and long claws that they are only a hindrance when walking. So the poor fellow has to bend them. But what a powerful tool it is for penetrating very strong termite mounds!

But don’t think that this beast can’t stand up for itself at all if its calluses are stepped on. To get rid of the pursuer, he will first speed up his pace, going to a trot. (A person, of course, can catch up with him and kill him just by hitting him on the head with a stick.) And if he sees that he cannot get away, he will sit on his hind legs and, like a boxer, put his front legs forward menacingly, spreading his powerful claws. The only sound that can be achieved from him by bothering him greatly is a dull growl. A blow from a paw with 10-centimeter claws can seriously hurt you. But if this does not stop the attacker, the anteater enters into mortal combat with him. There are cases when such fights ended disastrously for a person.

A white plantation manager in Paraguay encountered an anteater and decided to kill it. Having chased the fleeing animal, he stabbed it with a long garden knife. The anteater stopped, turned around and grabbed him with his strong front paws, depriving him of the opportunity not only to attack, but also to resist. In vain attempts to free himself from the iron embrace, the man knocked the beast down, and they rolled on the ground in a single ball for a long time, until people came running to his desperate cries. Only then did the anteater release the offender and go into the forest. The mutilated and bleeding manager was taken to the hospital, where he remained for several months.

And recently at the Argentine zoo Florencio Varela, not far from Buenos Aires, 19-year-old researcher Melisa Casco, working on a program to preserve giant anteaters from extinction, apparently forgetting about vigilance, got too close to a specimen kept in an enclosure. Since there are not enough brains in the anteater’s skull, he did not recognize the good intentions of the young scientist - apparently the genetic memory worked that man is his worst enemy. And he took her into his deadly embrace. The girl was taken to hospital with severe injuries to her leg and abdomen. Her leg was supposed to be amputated, but Melisa died.

Apart from the two-legged enemy, the only dangers for the giant anteater are the puma and the jaguar. But they, as a rule, prefer not to mess with him, fearing his terrible claws.

This creature weighs 40 kilograms, with a body length of up to 130 cm. Let’s add here almost a meter for a chic fluffy tail and a tongue that protrudes up to half a meter. His hair, like himself, is very peculiar - hard, elastic, thick and uneven in length. On the muzzle it tapers off, and towards the body its length increases, forming an impressive withers-mane along the ridge and frills on the paws. The tail fluffs from top to bottom, like a fan or a flag, the 60-centimeter hair on it hangs to the ground. The most characteristic color of the giant anteater is silver-gray (sometimes cocoa-colored), with a wide black stripe running diagonally across the entire body - from the chest to the sacrum. The lower part of the head, underbelly and tail are colored black-brown.

Everything in the body of this amazing creature is adapted for obtaining, grinding and digesting entire hordes of insects. The anteater will punch a hole in the termite mound with its paw, stick its long narrow muzzle inside, like a trunk or a hose, and get to work. No matter how long his muzzle is, his tongue is even longer - narrow, nimble, muscular, like a snake. Its base is attached right behind the sternum - a considerable distance, considering that the anteater’s neck is not short. In general, it will be half the length of the body, longer than that of an elephant and a giraffe (and the giraffe also does not complain about its tongue).

Having penetrated with its snout into the lair of termites or ants disturbed by its invasion, it uses its tongue, shooting it at a speed of 160 times per minute. And every time the tongue is retracted, the salivary glands abundantly moisten it with very sticky saliva, so that insects immediately stick to it. In one meal, an anteater can send up to 35 thousand termites into its stomach.

In order for the batch stuck to the tongue to remain in the mouth, on the inner surface of the cheeks and palate there are sort of brushes made of horny bristles, scraping off the catch and freeing the tongue to grab the next one. At the same time, the anteater’s mouth is very tiny, intended only for throwing out its tongue.

If he doesn’t come across an anthill or termite mound on his way, he can easily satisfy his hunger with ordinary insects, including worms and larvae. Small forest berries will also suit him, which he can eat without using the services of a whip-like tongue, but, like all normal animals, carefully tearing them off the branch with his lips.

The male anteater is not burdened by nature with paternal responsibility to his offspring - he did his job and went on to wander. But the female, it seems, has been concerned only with motherhood throughout her difficult life.

Having carried the baby (always the only one) in her womb, she then carries him on her back for months. The baby, as soon as it is born, climbs onto its mother. He remains weak and helpless for a long time - almost up to two years, therefore, even after stopping feeding him, the anteater helps him get adult food by breaking open termite mounds. And while she is busy nursing the baby, the time comes for a new pregnancy, and everything repeats again... and again.

The anteater's brains were in a narrow, pipe-like skull, and the cat cried. So you can’t expect miracles of training from him. Even Vladimir Durov did not count on this. He only used the natural habits of the animal, preparing it for a circus act. Natural, natural, and the result was impressive. Forcing the anteater to rise on its hind legs and using its grasping-hugging reflex, he placed a gun in its clawed paws. In Durov's circus show, an anteater guarded the entrance to the fortress and fired a gun, and even, harnessed to a carriage, rolled a monkey around the arena.

A forest tramp has enough brains to become, within the walls of a city apartment, a sweet, pampered lazy person who likes to sleep in his master’s bed, hang upside down on a closet or door lintel, allow himself to be fed treats, cuddled, caressed, walked, and even allowed to be groomed. yourself in children's clothes - caps, vests, sweaters, jeans. What else does a loving housewife or owner need to dote on their pet?

All species of anteaters are low-fertile by nature and are very dependent on specific food sources, so these animals have difficulty restoring their numbers in places where they are exterminated. Local residents have always hunted these animals for meat, so the giant anteater is already listed in the Red Book as endangered. However, the greatest danger to them is not hunters, but the destruction of natural habitats. Anteaters are also not often seen in zoos, perhaps due to the low public interest in the little-known animal. At the same time, keeping these animals in captivity turned out to be surprisingly easy. Gourmet anteaters in captivity easily switch to food that is unusual for them - they happily eat not only insects, but also minced meat, berries, fruits, and especially love... milk.

In addition, it is not at all necessary for them to plant termite mounds and anthills in the house or garden. This original, peacefully disposed and generally docile animal, without problems or complaints, caressed by sweet captivity, easily switches to the human diet - berries, fruits, meat, boiled eggs. The main thing is to serve them to him in crushed form: after all, an anteater’s mouth is no wider than the neck of a bottle.

A person would pray for an anteater - not a tame one, of course, but a wild one - to protect it, create favorable conditions for its reproduction and survival, because nature probably couldn’t come up with a more useful creature. But instead, he is mercilessly and thoughtlessly exterminated. As soon as homo sapiens a hand rises to kill such a treasure when termites have become a real scourge of both American continents, and methods of combating them have not yet been found!

Alas, the number of giant anteaters in South America, listed in the International Red Book, continues to decline catastrophically, and they can be seen in the wild less and less often...

The eyes and ears of anteaters are small, the neck is of medium length, but it seems shorter because it is not very flexible. The paws are strong and end in powerful claws. Only these claws, long and curved like hooks, remind us of the relationship of anteaters with sloths and armadillos. The tail of anteaters is long, and in the giant anteater it is not at all flexible and is directed all the time parallel to the surface of the earth, but in other species it is muscular and tenacious, with its help the anteaters move through the trees. The fur of arboreal species of anteaters is short, while that of the giant anteater is long and very stiff. The hair on the tail is especially long, which gives the giant anteater's tail a broom-like appearance. The color of the giant anteater is brown, the front legs are lighter in color (sometimes almost white), and a black stripe stretches from the chest to the back. The remaining species of anteaters are colored in contrasting yellowish-brown and white tones; the color of the tamandua looks especially bright.

Anteaters, like other representatives of the order Incomplete-toothed, live exclusively in America. The largest range of giant and dwarf anteaters is found in Central and most of South America. Tamandua lives only in central South America - Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. The northernmost species is the four-toed anteater, whose range extends from Venezuela north to Mexico inclusive. The giant anteater inhabits grassy plains (pampas), while other species are closely associated with trees and therefore live in sparse forests. The rhythm of life of these animals is unhurried. Most of the time they walk on the ground in search of food, simultaneously turning over stones, snags, and stumps along the way. Because of their long claws, anteaters cannot rest on the entire plane of their paws, so they place them slightly obliquely, and sometimes rest on the back of the hand. All types of anteaters (except the giant one) easily climb trees, clinging with clawed paws and holding on with a tenacious tail. In the crowns they examine the bark in search of insects.

These animals are more active at night. Anteaters go to sleep, curled up and covering themselves with their tails, and small species try to choose more secluded places, and a giant anteater can fall asleep without embarrassment in the middle of a bare plain - this giant has no one to fear. In general, anteaters are not very smart (the intelligence of all edentates is poorly developed), but nevertheless, in captivity they like to play with each other, starting clumsy fights. In nature, anteaters live alone and rarely meet each other.

Anteaters feed exclusively on insects and not all of them, but only the smallest species - ants and termites. This selectivity is due to the lack of teeth: since the anteater cannot chew food, it swallows insects whole, and in the stomach they are digested by very aggressive gastric juice. In order for food to be digested faster, it must be small enough, so anteaters do not eat large insects. However, the anteater makes the work of its stomach easier by partially grinding or crushing insects against the hard palate at the moment of swallowing. Since anteaters' food is small, they are forced to absorb it in large quantities, so they are in a constant search. Anteaters move like living vacuum cleaners, tilting their heads to the ground and continuously sniffing out and drawing everything edible into their mouths (their sense of smell is very acute). Possessing disproportionately great strength, they noisily overturn snags, and if they encounter a termite mound on their way, they cause real destruction in it. With powerful claws, anteaters destroy the termite mound and quickly lick termites from the surface. During the feast, the anteater's tongue moves at tremendous speed (up to 160 times per minute!), which is why it has such powerful muscles. Insects stick to the tongue thanks to sticky saliva; the salivary glands also reach enormous sizes and are attached to the sternum, like the tongue.

Mating in giant anteaters occurs twice a year - in spring and autumn, other species mate more often in autumn. Since anteaters live alone, there is rarely more than one male near one female, therefore these animals do not have mating rituals. The male finds the female by smell; anteaters are silent and do not give special calling signals. Pregnancy lasts from 3-4 (for the dwarf) to 6 months (for the giant anteater). The female, standing, gives birth to one calf, rather small and naked, which independently climbs onto her back. From that moment on, she carries it on herself all the time, and the cub tenaciously clings to her back with its clawed paws. In the giant anteater, the small cub is generally difficult to detect, because it is buried in the mother’s coarse fur. Tamandua females often, while feeding on a tree, place the baby on some branch; after completing all her work, the mother takes the baby and goes down. Anteater cubs spend a long time with their mother: for the first month they remain on her back inseparably, then they begin to descend to the ground, but remain associated with the female for up to two years! It is not uncommon to see a female anteater carrying a “baby” almost equal in size to her on her back. Different species reach sexual maturity at 1-2 years. Giant anteaters live up to 15 years, tamanduas - up to 9.

In nature, anteaters have few enemies. Only jaguars generally dare to attack large giant anteaters, but this animal has a weapon against predators - claws up to 10 cm long. In case of danger, the anteater falls on its back and begins to clumsily swing all four paws. The external absurdity of this behavior is deceptive; the anteater can cause severe wounds. Small species are more vulnerable; in addition to jaguars, large boas and eagles can attack them, but these animals also defend themselves with the help of their claws. In addition to turning over on their back, they can sit on their tail and fight off with their paws, and the pygmy anteater does the same thing while hanging on its tail from a tree branch. And tamandua also uses an unpleasant odor as an additional protection, for which local residents even nicknamed it “forest stink.”

Perhaps we can call anteaters one of the strangest animals on Earth. In total, scientists discovered four species of anteaters: the dwarf anteater, the four-toed anteater, the tamandua and the giant anteater.

Armadillos are considered the closest relatives of anteaters, but these animals are not at all similar to each other.

Depending on the species, anteaters can grow to different sizes. It is considered the smallest, its body length reaches no more than 20 centimeters.

The largest is, which grows up to 2 meters. The remaining two species, on average, reach 55 centimeters in length, and their weight is 3 – 5 kilograms.

The most amazing thing in appearance An anteater is considered to have its muzzle. It is elongated into a long tube, and the jaws of this animal are so fused that it can barely open its mouth. But nature doesn’t do anything for nothing, and it’s not for nothing that the anteater is designed this way: it has almost no use for its mouth (it doesn’t even have teeth at all), it has a long tongue. With its help, the animal deftly gets insects from the most inaccessible places: from under the bark of trees, from narrow crevices, etc.

Interesting fact: the muscles that “control” the anteater’s tongue are attached to the sternum itself, which is why the strength of the anteater’s tongue is simply incredible!

All types of anteaters have a large tail; it takes an active part in the movement of the animal. This part of the body is especially involved in anteaters, dwarf and four-toed anteaters: with the help of their tail they cling to branches and move through trees.

As for the fur, the hair of the giant anteater is particularly long and stiff; the other three species of these animals have short fur.

Where do anteaters live?

The habitat of these mammals is both American continents; anteaters inhabit Paraguay, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Uruguay and some other countries.

These representatives of the order of edentates live in grassy plains (called pampas, where, by the way, the giant anteater lives), as well as in open forests (this applies to other types of anteaters, whose life is inextricably linked with climbing trees).

These mammals are most active at night. Anteaters rest during the day; they can quite calmly allow themselves to lie down in the middle of an open area, curled up, because they have virtually no one to fear.

By their way of life, anteaters are loners; they not only do not like to live in pairs or groups, but even try to avoid meeting their own kind.

Listen to the voice of the anteater

The only food for anteaters are insects. The main food of these animals is ants and termites. Due to the complete absence of teeth, only small insects are suitable for anteaters to eat, so the choice of ants and termites was not accidental.

An unusual fact about the feeding of an anteater: having approached a termite mound, the animal uses its claws to destroy the structure, and then, with an incredible speed of tongue movement (160 times per minute), quickly collects insects into its mouth.

Anteaters mate twice a year. The duration of pregnancy depends on the type of anteater: the female giant anteater bears offspring for 180 days, and dwarf anteaters are born 3 to 4 months after mating.

Perhaps there are not many animals on earth as strange and unusual as the anteater. When you see this creature, the first thing that catches your eye is its long and narrow snout, like a tube, with small eyes and a very small mouth. But the huge claws, thick fur and long fluffy tail of the giant anteater are the envy of all animals.

Types and photos of anteaters

The anteater belongs to the class of mammals of the anteater family, the order of edentates. The family includes 3 modern genera:

1) The genus Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga Linnaeus) is represented by the species Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla).

The body length of this species is 1-1.9 m, weight 18–39 kg. The body is compressed from the sides, the neck is elongated, greatly expanding towards the base. The tail is long. The paws are five-toed, the front ones are longer than the hind ones.

In the photo, the giant anteater shows off its luxurious tail.

The giant member of the family inhabits South America east of the Andes, south to Argentina and Uruguay, as well as the southern part of Central America. Lives in various biotypes from swampy plains and pampas to tropical rainforests.

2) The genus of four-toed anteaters (Tamandua Gray) is represented by the species four-toed anteater, or tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla).

Body length 53–88 cm, weight 3.6–8.4 kg. On the forelimbs, 4 fingers are armed with long claws, on the hind limbs, all five fingers are armed with short claws. The tail is long, its tip is bare, and is capable of grasping tree branches.

In the photo there is a tamandua anteater: he is as comfortable in the trees as on the ground.

Tamandua lives in Central and South America to northern Argentina and Uruguay. Distributed in various types of forests, it tries to stay in areas close to water with thickets of climbing plants. Can climb mountains up to 2000 m.

3) The genus Dwarf Anteater (Cyclopes Gray) is represented by the species Dwarf Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus).

Body length 15–20 cm, weight no more than 400 grams. The body is cylindrical. The limbs are five-fingered. The tail is longer than the body, with a wide base, prehensile, at the end of the tail there is a bare area.

Anteaters are the only representatives of the Incomplete-edentates (Xenarthra), (which, along with them, includes the extinct glyptodonts) that do not have teeth.

The muzzle of the animals is disproportionately long; in the giant species, the head exceeds 30 cm. The mouth opening is very narrow. The tongue, narrow and round in cross-section, is very long: in the tamandua it extends to 40 cm, and in the giant anteater - up to 61 cm. In all species, the tongue is covered with small back-pointing spines and a thick layer of sticky saliva, which is secreted by large salivary glands.

The giant and dwarf species have the largest claws on the second and third toes, while the tamandua has the largest claws on the second, third and fourth. When moving, animals bend and tuck their fingers inward, avoiding contact of sharp claws with the ground.

Only the giant anteater can boast of long and elastic hair; other species have short hair.

Based on slight differences in coloration, giant anteaters are divided into three subspecies, and the Mexican tamandua into 5.

The main part of the fur of the giant species is colored silver-gray. Color variations depend on the size and intensity of the dark color of the "vest"; however, such coloring is inherent to all individuals to one degree or another.

Tamandua has a very large variety color variations. Animals in the northern part of their range have uniformly light skin, while in the southern part they have a pronounced dark “vest.” Differences between species are most pronounced at the boundaries of their ranges. In the northern regions, anteaters are uniformly golden in color or with a dark stripe on the back, but as they move south they become increasingly gray and with a darker stripe on the back.

Anteater diet

The diet of these mammals consists exclusively of social insects, primarily ants and termites, and such a diet requires adaptations not only of the chewing apparatus and digestive tract, but also of behavior, metabolic rate and mode of movement. The giant species eats large-sized ants and termites, the tamandua eats medium-sized ones, and the dwarf species specializes in the smallest. Tamandua, for example, usually eats up to 9 thousand ants per day, and a giant one can eat 30 thousand ants per day.

These animals are picky and avoid swallowing soldier ants, as well as ants and termites that have chemical defenses.

Anteaters usually do not drink, but are content with the water they receive with their food.

The method of food absorption is unique among mammals. Anteaters contract their chewing muscles in order to turn out the halves of the lower jaw, and thus open their mouth. The mouth is closed by the pterygoid muscles. The result is simplified and minimal jaw movement consistent with the inward and outward movement of the tongue. This technique allows for almost continuous swallowing and maximizes the rate of food consumption. These movements of the tongue are controlled by a special muscle that is attached to the base of the sternum.

Another unique feature of anteaters is the absence of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which should help digestion. And it is replaced by formic acid from food.

All anteaters have low level metabolism, while the giant representatives of the family have the most low temperature bodies among placental mammals (32.7° C). The body temperature of the tamandua and the dwarf species is slightly higher.

Lifestyle of anteaters

All species lead a solitary lifestyle.

The giant anteater lives on the ground and feeds primarily during the day, although if disturbed by people it becomes nocturnal.

Tamandua can be active at any time of the day; it is equally at home both on the ground and in the trees.

The dwarf species leads completely wood image life, active mainly at night.

All species can dig, climb and walk on the ground. However, the giant anteater rarely climbs, preferring to stay on the ground, while the dwarf anteater, on the contrary, is comfortable in trees and reluctantly descends to the ground.

Tamanduas make nests in tree hollows; giant ones dig small depressions in the ground in which they can rest for up to 15 hours a day. For camouflage, they cover their body with a huge shaggy tail. Pygmy anteaters usually sleep with their arms wrapped around a branch and their tail wrapped around their hind legs.

Individual sites of giant representatives of the family in places of abundance of food can be only 0.5 km2 in area. Such areas exist, for example, in the tropical forests on the island of Barro Colorado (Panama). But in places where there are not many ants and termites, one giant anteater may require up to 2.5 hectares.

The appearance of offspring

In the giant species and tamandua, the mating season is in the fall, and a single young is born in the spring. The baby is born mature and already has sharp claws. Using its claws, the little anteater climbs onto its mother's back almost immediately after birth. The cub feeds on milk for about six months, but can remain with its mother for another 1.5 years until it reaches sexual maturity.

Giant anteater cubs are exact copies of their parents, but tamandua babies are not very similar to their parents, their color can vary from white to black.

In dwarf anteaters, mating occurs most often in the spring, sometimes in the fall. Both mother and father carry the young on themselves and feed them regurgitated, semi-digested ants.

Enemies

In their natural habitat, only pumas and jaguars pose a threat to giant anteaters, but since our hero is able to fend for himself, they usually prefer not to mess with them. When repelling an attack, the animals stand on their hind legs and desperately chop the enemy with claws reaching a length of 10 cm. They can even squeeze and crush the enemy.

Pygmy anteaters are less fortunate: in nature, even birds of prey and boa constrictors pose a danger to them. But these little ones also try to defend themselves: in case of danger, they stand on their hind legs in a protective stance, and hold their front paws with long claws in front of their muzzle. And tamanduas also use a strong odor secreted by the anal gland as additional protection.

Conservation in nature

Local residents rarely hunt anteaters for meat; Tamandua skins are used in artisanal tanning, but only insignificantly. However, the giant anteater has disappeared from much of its historical range in Central America due to habitat destruction and human activity. In South America, anteaters are often hunted for trophies by animal traders. In some parts of Peru and Brazil they were completely exterminated.

Tamandua is also persecuted - it defends itself effectively, so they hunt it for sport with dogs. Tamanduas often die under the wheels of cars. However, the most serious threat to these animals is habitat loss and the destruction of the few insect species on which they can feed.

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