A giant anteater at Rhode Island's Roger Williams Park Zoo that goes by the name, Corndog, delivered her new baby on July 25. The new baby giant anteater is a male, and it weighed 4 pounds, two days after it was born.
The baby male anteater has a long snout and a long tongue to match, but this is expected from anteaters as it is there tool for catching ants and termites. At the moment, the little baby anteater doesn't yet have a name, and it is not yet certain when he will have one.
This little anteater won't be leaving his mother's side anytime soon, as babies tend to stick around mommy for the first year. Furthermore, since the first six month of a young anteater can be a challenging experience, zoo keepers will be required to keep a close eye on the newborn.
We're not certain of the challenges this baby anteater will face in the next six months since it is in captivity and not in the wild. We're wondering if it could be harmed by its mother, or left abandoned; hopefully zookeepers will make sure that mini Corndog survives the first six month of his life and beyond.
While these two anteaters are found in a zoo located in the United States, their nativity actually comes from Central and South America. Furthermore, these furry creatures are capable of eating up to 35,000 ants or termites per day, which is understandable since these insects are so small, so it would take a huge amount to fill the appetite of an anteater.
Anteater numbers are small.
Due to hunting and deforestation, giant anteaters are in short supply. So far, only 5,000 of these precious animals are still available in the wild, and they are constantly coming in contact with humans. This might sound surprising, but hunters and farmers have been killed by anteaters in the past, and no, it is not by biting. Anteaters don't bite, silly rabbit.
The creature has long knife like claws that can cause serious problems to any human who might come too close. Furthermore, since giant anteaters can't see very well and are easily frightened, it makes them even more dangerous.