Tamandua tetradactyla
Silhouette: Kai Caspar · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla), also called the collared anteater or lesser anteater, is a species of anteater from South America and the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean. It is a solitary animal found in many habitats, from mature to highly disturbed secondary forests and arid savannas. It feeds on ants, termites, and bees. Its very strong foreclaws can be used to break insect nests and to defend itself.
The southern tamandua is found in Trinidad and throughout South America from Venezuela to northern Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay at elevations up to 1,600 m (5,200 ft). 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 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.
The four recognised subspecies of Tamandua tetradactyla are... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 3 | Tijuca National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rio de Janeiro | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Tamandua sighting in Manu National Park on a given day, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 18th most-seen of the 42 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May, July–September and December–January
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Tamandua in Manu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April and October, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southern Tamandua sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Southern Tamandua sightings, Manu National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Tambopata National Reserve (Peru, about 10%) and Tijuca National Park (Brazil, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Tamandua is recorded against all the mammals logged in Manu National Park (17 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
