The main threat to this species is habitat loss. The giant anteater is considered the most threatened mammal of Central America and is listed on Appendix II of CITES and its range lies in many protected areas. One of the closest relative to the giant anteater is the pygmy sloth who shared a common ancestor over 55 million years ago! Due to the low energy content of their prey, giant anteaters save energy by having very low metabolic rates and body temperatures as low as 33☌. Giant anteaters are practically blind, finding ants and termites by their impressive sense of smell. They have long claws for opening up termite nests and they walk on their wrists to protect these claws. Their thick skin and long hairs protect this species from ant bites. The giant anteater feeds on ants and termites, catching them with its long sticky tongue which can reach lengths of up to 50cm. ![]() The giant anteater is the largest of the living anteater species and can eat up to 30,000 ants a day!
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