The vermilinguos u anteaters are extraordinary animals and have numerous peculiarities, it is an animal that basically feeds on ants and termites thanks to its powerful claws and its cylindrical tongue, which can measure up to 60 centimeters in length and is especially viscous.
When we talk about anteaters we really include four different species of very variable sizes, from the silky anteater, which has a similar size to that of a squirrel, to the giant anteater, which, as its name suggests, is large.
If you want to discover more about this amazing animal, in this AnimalWised article we will explain where the anteater lives.
The habitat of the anteater
The anteater can adapt to different environments hence it can be found both in tropical forests and savannahs, although it is also common find it in open grasslands, swampy areas, and forests.
Some very small anteaters live in trees and feed from there by moving from one branch to another.
As it is an animal that feeds on termites and ants, it is common to find it in areas where we can also observe a significant number of termite mounds and anthills.
When we find it in sparsely populated areas, the anteater carries out all its activities throughout the day, since it is a diurnal animal, but curiously, if it is inhabiting an area with a high population density, it begins to acquire nocturnal habits.
In which countries can we find the anteater?
The anteater is distributed in countries of Central America and South America, opting for areas that have the characteristics already mentioned above.
Currently we can find anteaters in the following geographical areas:
- Argentina: Provinces of Formosa, Chaco, Misiones and S alta.
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Ecuador
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Peru
- Paraguay
- Venezuela
In some of these countries their presence has been reported in national parks, however, in other countries of America it is considered that the presence of the anteater is completely extinct, these countries are Guatemala, El Salvador, Uruguay and Belize.
The protection of the habitat of the anteater
This is an animal that is in danger of extinction due to multiple factors, including fires and other problems that end up destroying the habitat of the anteater, therefore, once again the caring for the environment is of vital importance to conserving the diversity of the animal kingdom.
We must also mention other causes that threaten the survival of this species:
- It is captured to be exhibited in zoos and circuses
- Its meat is consumed by the native population
- It has a low reproductive rate as females only give birth to 1 offspring per year
- It is very vulnerable to man and can be run over on some routes
- Sometimes he is attacked by other animals
The relationship between the anteater and man
The anteater is a harmless animal, and this is important to mention because, due to the characteristics of the places where it lives, it is not entirely impossible to meet this animal at some point.
However, it is very important not to interfere with the anteater, because if it feels attacked it will defend itself with its powerful claws and all its weight, thus becoming a dangerous animal.
