City of Bloomington issued the following announcement on Dec. 11.
The Miller Park Zoo has welcomed two new tamanduas to the animal collection.
A breeding pair of Southern Tamandua, also known as the lesser anteater, were imported and went on exhibit at the Zoo last week and can be seen inside the Tropical Rainforest.
Miller Park Zoo has never had tamanduas. Their range is from Venezuela and Trinidad to northern Argentina, southern Brazil and Uruguay. Tamanduas are nocturnal, and can spend more than half of their time in the treetops, where they forage for arboreal ants and termites. They have tapered heads with a long, tubular snout, small eyes, and protruding ears. Their tapered mouths house a tongue reaching upwards of 16 inches in length. The tail is hairless and pink in color, marked with an irregular pattern of black blotches. The forefeet possess four clawed digits, the third digit bearing the largest claw, while the hind feet have five digits.
“We are really excited to get a breeding pair of these fascinating animals,” says Jay Tetzloff, Zoo Director. “Our education department is also going to be able to utilize them as ambassador animals which will be great for our classes and camps.”
The pair will be a part of the Tamandua Species Survival Plan (SSP).
For more information contact Jay Tetzloff at Miller Park Zoo, 309-434-2250.
Original source can be found here.
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