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Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark. Common Name: Giant anteaters. Scientific Name: Myrmecophaga tridactyla. Type: Mammals. Diet: Insectivore. Average Life Span In The...
The Giant anteater has five toes on each foot. Four toes on the front feet have claws, which are particularly elongated on the second and third digits. It walks on its front knuckles similar to gorillas and chimpanzees. Doing this allows the Giant anteater to keep its claws out of the way while walking.
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The giant anteater is 182 to 217 cm (5 ft in to 7 ft in) in length, with weights of 33 to 50 kg (73 to 110 lb) for males and 27 to 47 kg (60 to 104 lb) for females. It is recognizable by its elongated snout, bushy tail, long fore claws, and distinctively colored pelage .
Giant anteaters protect their sharp front claws by tucking them into their palms and walking on their front knuckles. Their back feet and claws are more similar to bears (they only knuckle walk with their front feet). They walk in a slow, shuffling gait but when necessary can gallop at over 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour).
Relying on its acute sense of smell, the giant anteater detects an ant mound and swiftly rips into it with its sharp, formidable claws. It then darts its tongue inside (up to 150 times per minute!), picking up the worker ants with that sticky saliva. The anteater only feeds at one mound for about a minute before moving on.
Jan 15, 2024 · Giant anteaters are virtually blind, and they find their prey using their excellent sense of smell, which is 40 times more sensitive than a human's. They have enormous claws on their front feet that they use to tear open ant nests and termite mounds.
Jan 17, 2018 · The anteater’s sides and hind limbs are dark grey, and its tail is brown and bushy. Four of the toes on each of the front feet are equipped with long, powerful claws. These are used to break into ant mounds. They also make excellent defensive weapons - a cornered giant anteater can be dangerous!
