Otherwise, our animal ambassador just might grab onto a branch with those mighty forearms, and it would be tough to convince him or her to let go! The normally solitary tamandua looks for a mate in the fall. It is a solitary animal, found in many habitats from mature to highly disturbed secondary forests and arid savannas. At 91 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius), tamanduas have one of the lowest body temperatures of any active land mammal. We have had one tamandua birth, in 1998. [4][6] Like their close relative, the northern tamandua, they have four clawed digits on the fore feet and five on the hind feet, and walk on the outer surfaces of their fore feet, to avoid puncturing their palms with their sharp claws. Several potential predators—jaguars and smaller cats like the margay—would love to make a meal out of a tamandua if it weren't so stinky! It rides on the mother's back for several months up to a year and is sometimes deposited on a safe branch while the mother forages. Tamanduas don't have teeth to chew their food; instead, their stomach grinds the food after it is swallowed. The bad smell lets other animals know where the tamandua is and usually sends them in the opposite direction. Fortunately, tamanduas are able to adapt to a variety of habitats as needed. If it is threatened in a tree it grasps a branch with its hindfeet and tail, leaving its arms and long, curved claws free for combat. The tamandua is mainly nocturnal, but is occasionally active during the day. The Northern tamandua is a medium-sized anteater with a prehensile tail, small eyes and ears, and a long snout. The tamandua's mouth is only as round as a pencil, but it can also lick up honey and soft, juicy fruits. Animals from the southeastern part of the range are "strongly vested", meaning they have black markings from shoulder to rump; the black patch widens near the shoulders and encircles the forelimbs. [4], The individual and geographic variation observed in the southern tamandua have made the taxonomic description of these animals a difficult task. A 16-inch-long (41 centimeters) sticky tongue with small barbs on it is just right for stealing ants and termites from their home. Although some differences in the shape of the skull are seen, they can most easily be distinguished from the northern tamandua by their slightly longer ears, which average around 5 cm (2.0 in), instead of 4 cm (1.6 in) as in the northern species. In the rainforest, the southern tamandua is surrounded during the day by a cloud of flies and mosquitoes and is often seen wiping these insects from its eyes. They may communicate when aggravated by hissing and releasing an unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Keepers say the tamanduas can tell the different ant species apart by their smell, and they only like to eat certain types! This interesting animal is at home both in trees and on the ground. The thick tail also makes a great pillow when sleeping! [4], The southern tamandua is listed as CITES Appendix II in southeastern Brazil. A smelly scent gives tamanduas the nickname "stinkers of the forest." The underside and the tip of the tail are hairless. Your gift not only cares for countless animals and plants at the Zoo and Safari Park, it protects and saves critically endangered species around the globe relying on us to survive. San Diego Zoo Global has had tamanduas off and on over the years, beginning with a pair of northern tamanduas in 1932. They have four toes on the front feet, with an extra-long claw on the third toe. Tamanduas like to climb, too (especially palm trees), so while out on a walk or meeting guests, keepers have to keep their tamandua from getting too close to any trees. A tamandua’s strange looks work to its advantage. Individuals from Trinidad are almost always solid blonde. The tamandua is most active at night, often nesting during the day in hollow tree trunks. [citation needed], The oldest fossil tamanduas date from the Pleistocene of South America, although genetic evidence suggests they may have diverged from their closest relative, the giant anteater, in the late Miocene, 12.9 million years ago.[5]. The youngster spends the first part of its life on the mother's back; she places her baby on a safe branch for a short time while she looks for food. [citation needed] This animal has small eyes and poor vision, but its large, upright ears indicate that hearing is an important sense. It has thick, coarse fur that is light yellow, tan, brown, or gray. The southern tamandua is found in South America from Venezuela and Trinidad to northern Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay at elevations to 1,600 m (5,200 ft). It feeds on ants, termites, and bees. The animals nest in hollow tree trunks or in the burrows of other animals, such as armadillos. The new baby does not resemble the parents very much, as its coat is a solid color, but its eyes are open, and it has those giant claws. They are also killed for the thick tendons in their tails, from which rope is made. Gestation ranges from 130 to 190 days. One baby is born in early spring and is cared for by the mother only. The animal can spray a foul-smelling secretion said to be four times more powerful than a skunk's! The four recognised subspecies of Tamandua tetradactyla are: The southern tamandua is a medium-sized anteater, though can vary considerably in size based on environmental conditions. [citation needed]. The tamandua feeds only a short time at each ant nest or termite mound so it won't get many bites. One tamandua's stomach was found to contain more than 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) of ants. A specialized mouth and tongue let tamanduas eat up to 9,000 ants in a single day! A tamandua’s strange looks work to its advantage in its Central and South American forest and scrub habitat. [citation needed] Tamanduas are also thought[by whom?] Although it has the same diet as the giant anteater, both animals are able to live alongside one another, perhaps because the southern tamandua is able to reach nests in trees, while its larger relative cannot. A powerful sense of smell helps the animal find a food source, like a termite mound. The kinky hair keeps angry ants from reaching the animal’s skin when dining at an anthill. Animals from northern Brazil and Venezuela to west of the Andes are solid blonde, brown, or black, or are only lightly vested. If attacked on the ground, this anteater backs up against a rock or a tree and grabs the opponent with its forearms. Both northern and southern tamanduas are classified as species of least concern, with stable populations. It inhabits both wet and dry forests, including tropical rainforest, savanna, and thorn scrub. It seems to be most common in habitats near streams and rivers, especially those thick with vines and epiphytes (presumably because its prey is common in these areas). The snout is long and decurved with an opening only as wide as the diameter of a stick, from which the tongue is protruded. People living in the Amazon sometimes use tamanduas to rid their homes of ants and termites. A tamandua also uses the tail for balance or like a tripod when needing to stand upright to slash out with the sharp, curved claws. The southern tamandua is a host of the acanthocephalan intestinal parasites Gigantorhynchus echinodiscus, Gigantorhynchus lopezneyrai, and Gigantorhynchus ungriai.[8]. Adults weigh from 1.5 to 8.4 kg (3.3 to 18.5 lb), with no significant difference in size between males and females. The rest of the body can be blonde, tan, or brown. These long claws cause tamanduas to walk on the outside edges of their front feet so the claws don't dig into their feet! They spend much of their time foraging arboreally; a study in various habitats in Venezuela[citation needed] showed this anteater spends 13 to 64% of its time in trees. [4] It seems to be most common in habitats near streams and rivers, especially those thick with vines and epiphytes (presumably because its prey is common in these areas). Together we can save and protect wildlife around the globe. Together we can save and protect wildlife around the globe. If a predator does get too close, the tamandua may hiss and then release a very unpleasant odor, similar to a skunk's, from a gland at the base of its tail. The important claws are also used for defense and when digging for food. The southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla), also called the collared anteater or lesser anteater, is a species of anteater from South America.
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