Nashville, TN – Nashville Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of a healthy male giant anteater. The pup was born on October 20th, 2021, weighing just over two pounds and measuring just under two feet long from head to tail.
At two weeks old, the pup spends most of its time tucked under the tail of his sleeping mom. He will stay with mom at Nashville Zoo for at least a year. Since 2001, 21 giant anteaters have been born at Nashville Zoo’s off-exhibit breeding facility. Including the pup, the Zoo now has 11 giant anteaters in their care.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the giant anteater as vulnerable to extinction due to habitat destruction, hunting, dog attacks, and road kills.
Although they are listed as vulnerable, giant anteaters are considered extinct in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Uruguay.
Nashville Zoo is recognized as a leader in caring for giant anteaters. The Zoo’s animal care and veterinary staff are currently working on an anteater care manual in conjunction with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Program that will provide husbandry guidelines and veterinary issues associated with these species.
To study and protect wild giant anteaters in Brazil, Nashville Zoo works with the Anteaters & Highways project that is supported by the Instituto de Conservação de Animais Sivestres (Institute for the Conservation of Wild Animals).
This project aims to understand the impact roadways have on giant anteater populations. Developing new road mitigation methods like properly installed fencing and safe crossing passages have reduced the number of anteaters injured by cars. This project allows the Anteaters & Highways team to make predictions about the wild giant anteater population and evaluate how roads may impact this species in the future.
For more information on giant anteaters, visit ww.nashvillezoo.org
About Nashville Zoo
Nashville Zoo is a nonprofit organization and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, assuring the highest standards of animal care and husbandry. The Zoo is actively engaged in conservation research, habitat protection, breeding programs, and education initiatives around the globe as well as in our own backyard.
With support from the Nashville community, donors, and sponsors including our Experience Partners: Coca-Cola Consolidated and Middle Tennessee Honda Dealers, the Zoo is a top Nashville attraction and is consistently voted one of the best places to visit by TripAdvisor, Yelp, and a host of local and national review sites. Nashville Zoo is located at 3777 Nolensville Pike.
For more information about Nashville Zoo, visit www.nashvillezoo.org
