First birth in Madidi: ZooParc welcomes giant anteater

ZooParc Overloon is celebrating the first birth in the new South America section Madidi. The zoo was able to welcome a giant anteater here last Friday, September 10. ZooParc is the only place in the Netherlands where a young of this species, which is considered vulnerable in nature, can be seen - no other giant anteater was born in a Dutch park during the past twelve months.

The cub crawled onto mother Tousle's back immediately after birth and will remain there for the next few months. As a result, it is not yet clear whether it is male or female. "The stripe on a youngster's back blends seamlessly into the mother's pattern," explains head zookeeper Steven van den Heuvel. "As a result, predators cannot see that there is a young."

LoggingGiant anteaters are found in South America. Their numbers are declining rapidly here due to massive logging of the rain forests. To dispose of the logged timber, roads are being built on a large scale through the habitats of giant anteaters. Many of these animals are hit by transport trucks using these roads.

To preserve the species and ensure a healthy zoo population, ZooParc participates in the European management program, also known as the breeding program. The newborn is the third cub born at ZooParc under this program. The big brothers have since moved to other European zoos, where they in turn contribute to the survival of the species.

MadidiAt the park in Overloon, the giant anteaters have recently moved to the brand new expedition section Madidi, where several animals from South America can be seen. Another anteater species, the tamandua, can also be found here recently.

Giant anteaters are solitary, which means they prefer to live alone. Therefore, there are two separate enclosures in ZooParc. The cub lives with its mother until it is old enough to stand on its own two feet. The father does not interfere with its upbringing.

Long tongueGiant anteaters have no teeth. They slurp up their food with their long tongue. On the tongue is a sticky layer of saliva. Termites and larvae stick to it well. With their sharp claws, anteaters make a hole in a termite mound and then insert their tongue. The tongue goes in and out of their mouths as many as 150 times a minute.