SOUTHERN TAMANDUA
Tamandua tetradactyla
I Have an Impressive Tongue
Southern tamanduas are known for their rounded tongues, which can extend up to 16 inches out of their long, curved snouts and pencil-sized mouths. These tongues are covered with sticky saliva and small barbs and can rapidly slurp up to 9,000 termites or ants in a single day. When feeding, they will spend only about a minute at each nest and eat relatively few insects before moving on. Remembering the location of nests and only visiting them intermittently ensures a future food source. They will avoid insects with chemical defenses, such as army ants, and their dense fur protects their skin from most biting or stinging ants.
I Have Huge Claws
Southern tamanduas have powerful forelimbs armed with thick, curved claws, including an extra-large claw on each front foot that can reach four inches in length. These claws are used to rip open and excavate insect nests for food and are critical for self-defense. If tamanduas encounter an enemy in a tree, they can hold a branch with their hind feet and prehensile tail and fight with their claws. On the ground, they will put their back to a rock or tree to protect their vulnerable hindquarters from attack. Their claws are useful for climbing trees, but on the ground, tamanduas walk on the outside of their feet to avoid stabbing themselves.
I’m Known as the “Stinker of the Forest”
In addition to their sharp claws, southern tamanduas can defend themselves by emitting a foul-smelling secretion that is four times more potent than a skunk’s. They also use scent to mark their territory. They are generally quiet animals. Vocalizations include hisses, snorts, roars and sniffs, and are mostly between mother and offspring or during aggressive encounters.
Diet: insects (especially ants and termites), fruit, honey
Zoo Diet: insectivore feed, mealworms, avocados
Habitat: forests, grasslands, scrublands
Weight: 8 – 19 lbs
Plan your visit today!
The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.
Plan your visit today!
The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.
