Giant anteater hunting ants to eat, Sao Jose, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

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In the grasslands west of Jardim, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, it is possible to see wild Giant anteaters, an endangered species due to due to habitat destruction, fire, and poaching for fur and bushmeat. The giant anteater or ant bear (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is the largest member of the anteater family, weighing up to 90 lbs. They are very primitive looking creatures that evolved around 25 million years ago. They are insectivorous and mostly nocturnal. Its tiny head contains a tongue up to ft long, and it spends its days foraging for ants and termites. It tears the termite mounds apart with its razor sharp claws. The giant anteater has no teeth and mashes the ants against the roof of its mouth. It sometimes uses its gigantic tail as a blanket. The giant anteater has poor eyesight but a very keen sense of smell, and we were fortunate to find 4 of them yesterday early in the morning in the grasslands south of Campo Grande.

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Size: 5000px × 3333px
Location: grasslands near Sao Jose, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Photo credit: © Terry Allen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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