Anteater

A giant anteater, in the Pantanal (Brazil).

A tiny silky anteater, in a tree, in Trinidad and Tobago.

An anteater is an animal that feeds on ants. There are four species of anteaters, the giant anteater (also known as ant bear), the northern tamandua, the southern tamandua, and the silky anteater (also known as the pigmy anteater, all living in South and Central America.

Anteaters are mammals with an elongated snout, and no teeth, but a very long, sticky tongue, they use to capture and eat ants. While the giant anteater is typically terrestrial, the other three are mainly arboreal.

Though they look pretty much like anteaters, pangolin (also known as scaly anteater) and aardvark are not close relatives to anteaters. Their resemblance is due to that they all feed on the same preys, meaning ants and other insects. Sloths are actually the closest relatives to anteaters.

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