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Rarely vocal
- Adult giant anteaters are rarely vocal. If the young do vocalize, it is a high-pitched, shrill grunt.
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Giant anteaters will avoid threats if possible. If they need to defend themselves, they will rear up, steadying themselves with their large tails, and use their powerful claws. Adult giant anteaters are rarely vocal. If the young do vocalize, it is a high-pitched, shrill grunt.
Giant anteaters do not vocalize much, but the pup can let out a shrill, high-pitched grunt to alert Mom when in distress. After the first month, the pup begins to spend more time on the ground, although it still rides on the mother’s back quite frequently.
- Overall Appearance. The giant anteater can grow up to an impressive length of seven feet from nose to tail and weigh between 60 to 100 pounds. It has a slender body covered with thick fur that ranges from grayish-brown to black.
- Feeding Behavior. As their name suggests, these remarkable creatures primarily feed on ants and termites courtesy of their elongated snouts and sticky tongues that can reach up to two feet in length.
- Unique Tongue Adaptation. Giant anteaters have evolved an impressive tongue adaptation for efficient feeding: their tongue secretes sticky saliva that traps insects during slurping motions inside anthills or termite mounds, much like eating with a built-in vacuum cleaner.
- Digestive System. To cope with such high insect intake daily, these mammals possess peculiar digestive systems consisting of enlarged salivary glands as well as an extended stomach which aids in breaking down the tough exoskeletons of ants efficiently.
In spite of being a terrestrial animal, the Giant anteater is an excellent swimmer. Also, though they don't tend to climb in the wild, they occasionally try to climb out of enclosures in captivity. In order to communicate with each other, Giant anteaters use various vocalizations.
The giant anteater ( Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is an insectivorous mammal native to Central and South America. It is one of four living species of anteaters, of which it is the largest member. The only extant member of the genus Myrmecophaga, it is classified with sloths in the order Pilosa. This species is mostly terrestrial, in contrast to ...
If threatened, the typically non-vocal giant anteater may make a bellowing noise. Additionally, they will often rear up on their hind quarters and swipe with their (up to) 10 cm (4 in.) long foreclaws.
The giant anteater uses its sharp claws to tear an opening into an anthill and put its long snout, sticky saliva, and efficient tongue to work. But it has to eat quickly, flicking its tongue up to ...
