Tamandua tetradactyla
Silhouette: Kai Caspar · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
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 Tambopata National Reserve on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 25th most-seen of the 28 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Tamandua in Tambopata National Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in August, October and December–May, the lowest months. That is one of Tambopata National Reserve's driest months, with about 90 mm of rain against 420 mm in February.
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.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Southern Tamandua sightings, Tambopata National Reserve ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Manu National Park (Peru, about 10%).
Same order: Pilosa
The closest relatives of the Southern Tamandua that you can see in Tambopata National Reserve (order Pilosa, Sloths and Anteaters) are Brown-throated Sloth (about 20%) and Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Tamandua is recorded against all the mammals logged in Tambopata National Reserve (6 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.
