Myrmecophaga tridactyla
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is an insectivorous mammal native to Central and South America. It is the largest of the four living species of anteaters, which are classified with sloths in the order Pilosa. The only extant member of the genus Myrmecophaga, the giant anteater is mostly terrestrial, in contrast to other living anteaters and sloths, which are arboreal or semiarboreal. It is recognizable by its elongated snout, bushy tail, long foreclaws, and distinctively colored fur.
The giant anteater is found in multiple habitats, including grassland and rainforest. It forages in open areas and rests in more forested habitats. It feeds primarily on ants and termites, using its foreclaws to dig them up and its long, sticky tongue to collect them. Though giant anteaters live in overlapping home ranges, they are mostly solitary except during mother-offspring relationships, aggressive interactions between males, and when mating. Mother anteaters carry their offspring on their backs until weaning them.
The giant anteater is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It has been extirpated from many parts of its former range. Threats to its survival include habitat destruction, fire, and poaching for fur and bushmeat, although some anteaters inhabit protected areas. With its distinctive appearance and habits, the anteater has been featured in pre-Columbian cultural narratives. Wikipedia →
Recording0:15
Colombia · 2025
© Núcleo Palmero Aceites Morichal S.A.S. · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:18
Colombia · 2025
© Martha Lucia Ortiz-Moreno · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
Recording0:13
Brazil · 2025
© guilherme1998 · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Serra da Canastra National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | El Impenetrable National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 3 | Emas National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 4 | Iberá National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 5 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disney's Animal Kingdom | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Pairi Daiza | 🇧🇪 Belgium | |
| 4 | Denver Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | California Academy of Sciences | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Lisbon Oceanarium | 🇵🇹 Portugal | |
| 7 | Planckendael Zoo | 🇧🇪 Belgium | |
| 8 | Zlín-Lešná Zoo | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 9 | Paris Zoological Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 10 | Greensboro Science Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Kaliningrad Zoo | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 12 | Zoobotanic Park of Brusque | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 13 | 清远长隆动物大越野 | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 14 | Parque Temático Hacienda Nápoles | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 15 | Beijing Wildlife Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 16 | Shanghai Wild Animal Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 17 | Bronx Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 18 | Khao Kheow Open Zoo | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 19 | Longleat Safari and Adventure Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 20 | Zoological Garden of Belo Horizonte | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 21 | Zoológico de Brasília | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 22 | Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 23 | Brookfield Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 24 | Virginia Safari Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 25 | Parc zoologique de Montpellier | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 26 | Curitiba Zoo | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 27 | Nashville Zoo at Grassmere | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 28 | Beijing Zoo | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 29 | Shanghai Zoo | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 30 | Shenzhen Safari Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 31 | 江苏淹城野生动物世界 | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 32 | Chester Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 33 | Dallas Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 34 | Detroit Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 35 | Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 36 | Wildlife World Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 37 | São Paulo Zoo | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 38 | Birmingham Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 39 | Africam Safari | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 40 | Audubon Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 41 | Novosibirsk Zoo | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 42 | Ukumarí Biopark | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 43 | Zoo La Barben | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 44 | Saint Louis Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 45 | Colchester Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 46 | Caldwell Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 47 | Edinburgh Zoo | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 48 | Zoológico de Goiânia | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 49 | San Francisco Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 50 | Temaikén | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
No species of the same family or order lives in Serra da Canastra National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other mammals.
Very likely
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Anteater sighting in Serra da Canastra National Park on a given day, based on 60 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January, May, July–August and October–November
In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Anteater in Serra da Canastra National Park on a given day, against about 40% in February, the lowest month.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Giant Anteater sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Yes
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Giant Anteater sightings, Serra da Canastra National Park has the highest daily chance: about 80%. Next come El Impenetrable National Park (Argentina, about 40%) and Emas National Park (Brazil, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Giant Anteater is recorded against all the mammals logged in Serra da Canastra National Park (60 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.
