Anteater

A cousin of the armadillo and the sloth, the Anteater is one of the most ancient mammals on the planet And one of the strangest, too: its peculiar elongated head, long toothless snout, small ears, dense fur and tiny mouth give it a very recognizable appearance.

It is native to  Central and Southern America , although it has disappeared from some countries in Central America. Its natural habitat is varied: it can live in wet and dry forests, swampy areas, savannahs and pastures.

Each anteater consumes thousands of ants a day. Ants and termites determine the territory in which anteaters live. They are fussy eaters: of the hundreds of existing species of ants, they only choose four or five types.

Having a fine sense of smell, they are able to easily locate their favorite prey, which they reach by digging in the ground with their powerful claws.

The reproduction of the anteater is not seasonal. Gestation lasts 190 days, after which a pup is born. As soon as it is born, it climbs up onto its mother’s back, using its claws to cling to her hair, where it remains for a year. After this time, it separates from her to begin to explore its environment alone.

Anteaters don't have much contact with each other: they usually roam vast expanses to feed, and only interact with each other during the mating season.