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Anteater

An Evolutionary Mistake?: Anteaters, at first glance, appear to be some sort of evolutionary mistake when, in fact, every part of this animal's body is built for the life it leads. Using its large, powerful claws the anteater tears open ant and termite mounds. The long tubular snout houses a tongue that can protrude more than 2 feet and is covered with minute, backward-pointing spines and sticky saliva — perfect for getting into anthills and capturing the tiny prey. Since it is toothless, the insects are ground up in a part of the anteater's stomach that resembles a gizzard. Its prehensile tail has a hairless portion on the underside for gripping branches; it is often used as a fifth limb for climbing.

Battle-Ready: When threatened, the anteater raises up on its hind limbs, hissing, its heavily clawed forelimbs extended, ready to do battle. The claws are so long that when the anteater walks, it treads on the sides of its paws to avoid wear and tear. It cannot run.

Anteater Distribution: Although four species of anteater can be found in tropical savannas and forests from southern Mexico to Paraguay and northern Argentina, the giant anteater, which lives in Central to South America, is probably the one that comes to mind most often when thinking of these unique animals.

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MORE ANTEATER

VIDEO: A Very Odd Design

VIDEO: An Anteater Fights an Ocelot

VIDEO: The Tiny, Timid Anteater

SPECIES: Meet the Giant Anteater

SPECIES: Meet the Silky Anteater

SPECIES: Meet the Tamandua

QUIZ: The Claw Family Quiz

INTERACTIVE: Tour the Anteater's Home

PUZZLES: "Claw"-some Anteater Puzzles

DID YOU KNOW?

One Terrific Tongue: The anteater's tongue shoots out from its tube-like snout about 150 times per minute while feeding.

Appetite for Ants: A giant anteater can eat thousands of insects in a matter of minutes, and as many as 30,000 in a single day.

Meal Manager: Careful not to deplete its own food sources, the anteater will never completely devour a nest of insects, allowing enough to remain to repopulate the colony over time.

A Sense for Insects: With its amazing sense of smell, a giant anteater can identify a specific species of ant or termite before it rips open its nest.