icon of person Membership icon of ticket Buy Tickets

Also called the lesser anteater, the tamandua uses its long snout to sniff out ant, termite and bee colonies. Long claws enable it to dig into nests, and a long sticky tongue licks up the insects. A single tamandua can eat up to 9,000 ants in a single day!

tamandua

Did You Know?

The tamandua forages both on the ground and in the trees, using its prehensile tail to aid in gripping branches.

Quick Facts

Latin Name:
Tamandua tetradactlya

Range:
Northern and eastern South America

Habitat:
Savanna, scrub, dry forest and tropical rainforest

Length:
Up to 1 ft (without tail)

Lifespan:
7 years

Zoo Location:
Children's Zoo

Diet:
Ants, bees and termites