Nashville Zoo Welcome Giant Anteater Infant

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: November 4, 2021 11:35 am

A two week old giant anteater infant at Nashville Zoo

Photo Credit: Sean Brunson/ Nashville Zoo

Nashville Zoo have continued their breeding success with the giant anteater. A healthy, male pup was born on October 20th 2021. At birth it weighed just under two pounds and was a little over two foot long.

Now two weeks old the pup is spending most of its time tucked under the tail of mom while she sleeps. He will remain in her care for the next year.

The latest arrival means a total of 21 giant anteater have been born at Nashville Zoo since 2001 in the zoo’s off-exhibit breeding facility. With the pup the zoo now have 11 giant anteaters in their care.

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Nashville Zoo staff have become the experts in giant anteater care and are currently writing a care manual for this species in conjunction with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Program.

Giant anteaters come from Central and South America. Here they are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They are threatened by habitat destruction, hunting, dog attacks and road kill.

The species is already considered extinct in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala and Uruguay.

Nashville Zoo support conservation work through the Anteaters & Highways project. The project is working to understand the impact roadways are having on giant anteater populations.