Animals of the world - Card 5 - Giant Anteater

Card number 5 of 64. Text says:

Animals of the world

A series of 64

5

Giant Anteater

(Myrmecophaga jubata)

There are several unrelated animals called "Anteaters", but the family to which the name rightly belongs is found in South America. This is the largest of several species, 4ft long, 2ft high, plus an enormous hairy tail which is probably a broom for sweeping up ants. It takes the ants into its toothless tubular mouth with a long sticky tongue.

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Wikipedia says that the 'giant anteater' is in fact Myrmecophaga tridactyla but the dimensions given are reasonably similar to the description above. In fact jubata appears to be an older taxonomic name for the same animal, translating literally as "having mane, or crest". While tridactyla refers instead to the three longer hardened claws on each paw used for digging out ants nests.

These interesting animals are listed as threatened or vulnerable, mainly at appears due to the reduction in habitat size in and around central South America, their slow movement, and specific dietary requirements. The burn-off method often employed to clear land for cultivation tends to catch them unawares, and can also significantly reduce their preferred food sources of ants and termites.