What do anteaters eat

To investigate this question, in , Redford went to Brazil to study a group of anteaters at the Brasilia Zoo , as well as in the wild at Emas National Park. Ants and termites are highly social critters, and their social structure consists of three main groups: the reproductive, the worker, and the soldier castes. The defenses of the soldier castes in termites and ants vary from entirely chemically based, in which they secrete toxic or repellent chemicals, to the fully mechanical, in which they use their mandibles to pierce the skin of the attacker, and occasionally to draw blood.

Redford hypothesized that the foraging behavior of the anteaters would vary according to the type of defense behavior employed by the soldier castes of the ant and termite colonies on which they fed.

The first part of the study was conducted with the help of three giant anteaters that were kept at the Brasilia Zoo.

Two shallow trays were placed before the anteaters, each of which contained broken up pieces of a termite mound. Each tray, therefore, contained thousands of living and active termites, of one of eight possible species: Grigiotermes metoecus, Armitermes euamignathus, Cornitermes cumulans, Cortaritermes silvestri, Nasutitermes, Procorniterrnes araujoi, Velocitermes paucipilis, and Orthognathotermes gibberorum.

Each individual anteater was tested with all possible two-way combinations to determine their overall preferences. The researchers recorded the sequence in which the individuals ate the different species, as well as the number of times the anteater sniffed but did not snack on a particular species.

Since it was impossible to quantify the number of termites eaten, they recorded the duration of each feeding session as well, for each termite species. The anteaters did not feed on the different species equally. In 24 of the 28 two-way comparisons, there were clear preferences for one termite species over the other, and all three individual anteaters showed the same preferences. The two tastiest termite species were Cornitermes and Procornitermes. These findings alone suggest that the anteaters are making explicit foraging decisions, instead of opportunistically dining on whatever critters are around.

Redford wanted to know, however, how do the anteaters decide which species to eat? How do anteaters make their decisions? Prey size did not correlate significantly with feeding decisions, nor did the nutritional value of the prey. Both of those possibilities were easily ruled out.

The percentage of the colony that comprised the soldier caste was not correlated with feeding decisions, either. Nor was the aggressiveness of the termite soldiers. Despite their clear preferences, Redford was unable to determine the variables that were behind those preferences. Redford and his colleagues drove around the national park, searching for anteaters. What are you wondering? Wonder Words species mammals suborder tongue swallow debris digest grubs kibble snorkel majority pebbles shuffle tropical excellent destroying grasslands experience Take the Wonder Word Challenge.

Join the Discussion. Kahliyah Nov 22, What would happen if anteaters disappeared from the ecosystem??? Nov 23, Kahliyah Nov 18, Anteaters are cute but why do the eat gods beautiful creatures like ants? Nov 18, Ali Feb 27, I think anteater's are super cool! Thanks for making this article. And this is just an idea, but I don't know if you've already made an article about sloths, but if you could, could you please make an article about them?

I think they're really cool as well! Mar 1, Isabella Jun 11, Jun 12, Arnav Apr 5, Apr 11, Arnav Apr 11, Apr 16, We think it's fascinating to learn about, too! Barrett Apr 18, This has nothing do with this topic but how do you build a solar panel.

Apr 20, Ethan Oct 30, Anteaters are relly cute and interesting with their long tongues. Wonder Friend Nov 12, Why do you like there tongues?! Nov 1, We're glad you found this Wonder interesting, Ethan!!! RYAN Mar 22, Mar 23, Are you an anteater? Or an ant eater? Or just an ant liker? Apr 22, We're glad you liked this Wonder topic! Oct 27, Guin's 2nd Grade Oct 2, Greetings from North Carolina! My second grade class is reading a play about ants, and we have decided to learn more about anteaters since they eat ants.

Some of my students have a few questions: What if anything do anteaters drink, and how do they drink? What happens if an anteater starts eating fire ants? How does the anteater protect itself from getting stung?

Fire ants are common here in North Carolina. Do anteaters make noises? Has an anteater ever gotten its nose stuck in an anthole? Thank you so much for helping us learn more about anteaters!

Wonderopolis Oct 3, Wonderopolis Apr 26, Marco The Beach Nov 19, Dear Wonderopolis, Wow, I think that was a really cool wonder of the day. I had no idea that anteaters could swim.

I didn't really even know that anteaters could touch water. I didn't know that they sleep above ground and all the ants that they ate. I know why people don't invite anteaters for picnics, because they are disturbing. I think my name would be the pancakeeater.

I never knew that anteaters can be called antbears. Anteaters are also good swimmers, using the freestyle stroke and with their long snout as a snorkel. Can you imagine eating nothing but ants all day long? Giant anteaters have no teeth, but a specialized tongue allows them to eat up to 30, ants and termites each day. Giant anteaters range from Honduras in Central America to the Gran Chaco region of Bolivia in South America, and are found in tropical and dry forests, savannas, and grasslands.

These animals are perfectly designed to feed on ants, which is great, because ants are a very reliable food source. The anteater's narrow tongue is about 2 feet 60 centimeters long and is shaped like a strand of spaghetti. This amazing tongue has teeny, backward-pointing spines covered in sticky saliva that aid in feeding.

Relying on its acute sense of smell, the giant anteater detects an ant mound and swiftly rips into it with its sharp, formidable claws. It then darts its tongue inside up to times per minute! The anteater only feeds at one mound for about a minute before moving on. After all, the animal doesn't want to totally wipe out its source of food! With a mouthful of delicious insects, the anteater crushes them against the roof of the mouth, and its very muscular stomach further pulverizes the food.

Anteaters may also lick at fallen fruit and eat soft grubs. Giant anteater photographed with a trail camera. Giant anteater in Venezuala.

Giant anteater in Brazil. Giant anteater in captivity in the USA. Giant anteaters in captivity in the USA.