World Anteater Day

About World Anteater Day

World Anteater Day is held on 19th November every year. It is an international day of recognition for this termite- and ant-eater animal, allowing people across the globe to come together to recognise their unique characteristics.

It’s also a great opportunity to raise awareness of the threats anteaters face in the wild, as their habitat is threatened by the expansion of factory farming, climate change and fires. These animals are also cruelly abused by the entertainment and tourist industry and used as tourist photo props, which harms their physical and mental wellbeing.

8 facts about anteaters

1. Giant anteaters are the biggest anteaters, growing up to 2 metres long and weighing up to 55 kilograms. Silky anteaters are much smaller, at 44 centimetres and 300 grams.
2. Anteaters don’t have teeth but they do have very long tongues. Tamandua tongues can grow up to 40 centimetres in length and giant anteater tongues can grow up to 50 centimetres.
3. Anteaters have poor eyesight. They use their excellent sense of smell to locate their food.
4. Giant anteaters have big bushy tails, which they can use as a sun shade or blanket. This helps them regulate their temperature.
5. Female anteaters raise a single baby per year. They carry the baby on their back for up to six months.
6. Giant anteaters are stronger than they look. They can fight off pumas and jaguars by rearing up on their hind legs and swiping with their clawed front feet.
7. The giant anteater is considered the most threatened mammal in Central America.
8. Anteaters are threatened by fires, deliberately set by the farming industry. If they aren’t hurt or killed by the fire, they can encounter dangers — like busy roads — when attempting to flee their homes.

Anteater FAQS

Can anteaters eat fire ants?

Yes, anteaters can eat fire ants in places where the two creatures coexist. Anteaters have thick skin and long hairs that protect them from ant bites.

What do anteaters eat?

Anteaters eat up to 30,000 ants and termites every day. They break open ant and termite nests with their claws and use their long tongues to scoop out the insects.

Can anteaters swim?

Yes, anteaters are good swimmers. They use their long snout as a kind of snorkel.

Can anteaters be a pet?

No, anteaters belong in the wild. Keeping an anteater pet is cruel as it is impossible to recreate the conditions of their natural habitat in a captive environment.   

Where do anteaters live?

Anteaters live in Central and South America, as far north as Mexico and as far south as northern Argentina. They tend to live in tropical savannas, grasslands, and forests.  

What is the myth of the anteater?

In mythology, the giant Amazon anteater is depicted as a trickster. In one tale, an evil ogre is turned into a giant anteater as punishment. In another, an anteater steals a jaguar’s coat after challenging it to a diving contest, leaving the jaguar to dress in an anteater pelt.

What animal is closest to an anteater?

Armadillos are mammals and are most closely related to armadillos and sloths.

What are the four types of anteaters?

The four different species of anteater are the giant anteater, the northern tamandua, the southern tamandua, and the silky anteater.