Habitat
Savannas, grasslands, swampy areas and humid forests.
Geographical spread
Southern Belize to northern Argentina (Cabrera 1957)
Current population
Status
Considered vulnerable by the IUCN, on Appendix II of the CITES.
Size
Head and body length 1,000-1,900mm, tail length 640-900mm.
Weight
22-39kg.
Average life expectancy
Unknown in the wild. A captive Giant anteater lived for 25 years and
10 months (Jones 1982).
Normal Diet
Insectivore. Eats ants and termites (including the eggs, cocoons and adults). May
eat up to 30,000 ants or termites in a single day. Beetle larvae are also eaten in the wild.
Normal lifestyle
Nocturnal and diurnal, terrestrial and solitary. Anteaters normally walk or
amble along the ground but can run with speed if necessary. When resting it picks a secluded
spot and curls up, covering the head and body with its fan-like tail. Giant anteaters have home
ranges of about 9 sq km (Pinto de Silveira 1969). Agonistic encounters have been noted and
although it will not fight unless it has too, it appears that the Giant anteater defends its territory.
Breeding occurs throughout the year in capivity and probably also in the wild. Usually a single
young is born and is carried on the mothers back for up to a year by which time it is fully grown.
Previous geographical spread
Disappeared from much of Central America.
Reasons for decline
Destruction of the Giant anteaters habitat has caused a huge decline in
numbers. It is hunted in S America as a trophy (Thornback and Jenkins 1982).
File last modified Thursday, October 3, 1996