The South American giant anteater has arrived in Zhengzhou, and the zoo is making every effort to recreate its natural habitat there
Thread Content
The image shows the newly built anteater exhibit at Zhengzhou Zoo; there is a sculpture of an anteater at the entrance. Its head and neck are connected, and its long, thin mouth resembles a straw, with its entire body having an arc-shaped shape... On December 14th, four of these amazing animals from South America, the anteaters, were introduced to visitors at Zhengzhou Zoo. Living in rooms with 24/7 heating and air conditioning, and enjoying nutritionally balanced meals prepared by the zoo staff, the anteaters are receiving a treat worthy of royalty in their new home in Zhengzhou. On December 14, staff from the Zhengzhou Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau issued the \"Entry Goods Inspection and Quarantine Certificates\" for these four giant anteaters to the Zhengzhou Zoo. After a 30-day quarantine period, the giant anteaters who had come from afar were finally able to meet with visitors. The image shows a giant anteater at the Zhengzhou Zoo. As soon as one enters the enclosure built specifically for these giant anteaters, warm air hits one’s face. Two giant anteaters lay on the ground in their respective \"private rooms,\" with their long snouts stuck in the bowls as they leisurely ate their nutritious meals. Around them, radiators, air conditioners, and humidifiers are all in operation. The thermometers on the walls of the facility showed that the temperature inside was 28 degrees Celsius and the humidity was 55%, conditions similar to those in the natural habitat of giant anteaters. “These four giant anteaters were introduced from Suriname in South America; there are two males and two females, with an average age of 2 years. The giant anteater lives in tropical rainforests and marshy areas in that region, in warm and humid environments. To help the giant anteater adapt to life in Zhengzhou, we installed heating in its enclosure, added air conditioning, and provided a humidifier; we also built a small pool for it to bathe in and play in. ”Tian Shuliao, a veterinarian at the Zhengzhou Zoo, told reporters that the zoo does its best to create an environment similar to the wild for the giant anteaters. The main food of the giant anteater in the wild is various ants; its long tongue can skillfully lick up 30,000 ants in a day. Having come to Zhengzhou from South America, how is the diet of the giant anteater ensured? The image shows the nutritious food prepared by Zhengzhou Zoo for the giant anteaters. Tian Shuliao explained that the zoo has prepared special alternative foods for these animals: ants are essential, and in addition, beef, cat food, honeydew melon, papaya, bananas, apples, yogurt, eggs, bread slices, and other ingredients are mixed together in certain proportions and blended into a paste-like substance, which serves as their nutritional food. “Since giant anteaters have no teeth, they can only lick their food, which is in a paste form, using their tongues; moreover, they have a delicate taste and prefer strawberry-flavored yogurt the most. ” The reporter learned that the giant anteater, native to the Americas, has seen its population decline in recent years and is considered an internationally endangered species. The Zhengzhou Zoo is one of the few zoos in China to have introduced giant anteaters. Upon learning that the anteater exhibit at Zhengzhou Zoo had officially opened to the public, local resident Liu Yumin rushed to see this unique animal in person. “Its appearance is truly amazing; it’s different from the animals we see usually – it has a long mouth and a long tongue, and its slow movements add to its cute appeal. The place where it lives is also warm, which clearly indicates that it enjoys a ‘luxurious’ standard of living. ” “We hope that while visiting the giant anteaters, people will pay more attention to their living conditions. We hope they will protect animals and their habitats, as this is also a way of protecting our own home. ”Tian Shu Liao said so. (End)
These animals are treated better than humans
The animals in the zoo are a bit pitiful.
I’m also wondering where all these ants came from
The giant anteater (M. tridactyla) is large in size; its total length, including the tail, can reach 2 meters, and its weight can be up to 40 kilograms. It has a long face, long and fluffy tail hair, and black wedge-shaped stripes on its throat and shoulders, with white edges. The giant anteater is found from Guatemala in Central America to northern Argentina in South America; it is active on the ground and inhabits a variety of habitats such as forests, grasslands, and swamps. The giant anteater belongs to the order Paucidentata, family Myrmecophagidae. The giant anteater is a toothless mammal that lives in the Americas and feeds on termites. It has no teeth but rather a very long snout; once its nose at the tip of this snout detects the scent of termites, it uses its sharp front claws to dig into the termite nests. While the termites flee in panic, the anteater extends its tongue, which is about 30 centimeters long, and uses the mucus on its tongue to catch the termites before swallowing them whole.
In tropical regions, there are carnivorous ants that travel in groups through the jungles. Any animal that comes across them is attacked by these ants, leaving only bones behind. Yet, the anteaters, which specialize in eating termites, are able to eliminate these ants.
The anteater’s front legs are strong and muscular, with long claws that are curved like scythes – these serve as weapons for self-defense and for digging into termite nests. Due to their length and curvature, the anteater’s front paws don’t touch the ground when it walks; instead, its fingers bear the weight, giving it a peculiar gait. It also has a fluffy, hairy tail that is about one meter long; this tail can be used as an umbrella on rainy or hot days, and can be laid on the ground at night to serve as a soft blanket.
Giant anteaters give birth once a year in spring, with each female having one offspring per birth. During the nursing period, the mother cares for her young very carefully, often carrying them on her back and staying close to them until she becomes pregnant again.
If faced with danger, the giant anteater tries to escape quickly, though its movements are rather awkward. If it cannot escape, it will sit on the ground using its tail, raise its upper body, and use its strong claws to defend itself. At the same time, it emits a strange whistling sound to threaten its enemies.
Giant anteaters mainly inhabit tropical grasslands and sparse forests, preferring to build their homes in low-lying areas near water or in forest swamps. They usually live alone and are active at night. Giant anteaters have a gentle nature and are harmless to humans and animals.
As its name suggests, the giant anteater is a fascinating animal that specializes in eating termites. It is of relatively large size, with a body length of 100–130 centimeters, a tail length of 65–90 centimeters, and a weight of 18–23 kilograms; the largest individuals can reach 40 kilograms. It has a very strange appearance: its spine is raised and curved in an arch shape, while its head is thin and long, with a skull length of 38 centimeters. The forehead is flat, the brain capacity is very small; the ears, eyes, and nose are all small, and the mouth is even smaller, being merely a tiny opening at the front of the head that seems to not exist at all. It has no teeth in its mouth, as it only needs to swallow food such as ants whole, so it doesn’t need teeth for chewing. The snout transformed into a large conical tube only as thick as a pencil, capable of holding the long tongue inside it. Its worm-like long tongue can extend up to 61 centimeters in length, but its width is only 1–1.5 centimeters; it is a highly sophisticated organ packed with muscles, capable of carrying out the most complex hunting tasks. Due to the high demand for saliva, its submandibular glands are highly developed, extending from the throat to the chest. When feeding, these glands secrete a thick layer of saliva on the long tongue; this tongue is then inserted into the ant nest, where the ants stick to it and are pulled out. As the tongue retracts like a conveyor belt, it carries the ants into the mouth. The giant anteater has thick and coarse hair, mainly black-gray in color with some brownish tones; the hair on its front limbs is lighter in color, more grayish-white, and it features two wide black vertical stripes with white edges that run from the throat, over the shoulders, to the back. Both the forelimbs and hindlimbs have 5 toes. The forelimbs are thick and strong, and except for the fifth toe, they all possess long, scythe-like curved claws; in particular, the claw on the middle toe is very powerful and serves as its main weapon for self-defense and digging ant nests. However, because its claws are too long, it is unable to let its front paws touch the ground while walking; it has to bend its long claws backward so that the tips of the claws make contact with the ground, resulting in a strange, limping gait that appears awkward and ridiculous. The hind legs are shorter, and each toe is also equipped with sharp claws of similar size. Its tail is particularly well-developed, with long and fluffy fur on it, resembling a large broom that drags behind it; it can protect against wind and rain. When sleeping, it can be used to cover the head or laid on the ground as a fluffy blanket – very practical. The giant anteater is found from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Costa Rica in Central America all the way to northern Argentina in South America; it primarily inhabits areas along rivers, swamps, humid forests, and low-lying regions in grasslands. It has a solitary and gentle temperament, moves very cautiously and slowly, and never harms humans or animals. They usually act alone, and only when female animals carry their young do small groups form. They usually go out to move around and look for food during the day, and sleep and rest at night. They like swimming but are not good at climbing trees. While walking, it keeps sniffing around with its nose, its snout almost touching the ground, and it keeps wagging its tail – looking quite peculiar. Its diet is highly specialized, as it feeds solely on various ants such as black ants and termites, as well as a few insects and larvae. People have long been curious about how anteaters were able to survive in Central and South America without being completely hunted to extinction by predators such as pumas and jaguars. In fact, it has many means to protect itself and a certain level of resistance. If in danger, the giant anteater will also run away at top speed, in a rather awkward manner. If it really cannot escape, it will sit on the ground using its tail, raise its upper body, and wrap itself around its opponent. Thanks to its hard and thick skin, it can temporarily withstand the opponent’s sharp teeth and claws. It then uses its strong, clawed front feet to counterattack, while also emitting a strange whistling sound as a threat to the opponent; this often prevents the predatory beast from attacking, allowing it to escape from danger or win the fight. The gestation period for female giant anteaters is about 190 days, and they give birth to only one offspring per litter, usually in spring. After the cub is born, the female takes very good care of it, often carrying it on her back and staying by its side until she becomes pregnant again. After 9 months, the young reach a size similar to that of adults. Its lifespan is 14 years.
In tropical regions, there are carnivorous ants that travel in groups through the jungles. Any animal that comes across them is attacked by these ants, leaving only bones behind. Yet, the anteaters, which specialize in eating termites, are able to eliminate these ants.
The anteater’s front legs are strong and muscular, with long claws that are curved like scythes – these serve as weapons for self-defense and for digging into termite nests. Due to their length and curvature, the anteater’s front paws don’t touch the ground when it walks; instead, its fingers bear the weight, giving it a peculiar gait. It also has a fluffy, hairy tail that is about one meter long; this tail can be used as an umbrella on rainy or hot days, and can be laid on the ground at night to serve as a soft blanket.
Giant anteaters give birth once a year in spring, with each female having one offspring per birth. During the nursing period, the mother cares for her young very carefully, often carrying them on her back and staying close to them until she becomes pregnant again.
If faced with danger, the giant anteater tries to escape quickly, though its movements are rather awkward. If it cannot escape, it will sit on the ground using its tail, raise its upper body, and use its strong claws to defend itself. At the same time, it emits a strange whistling sound to threaten its enemies.
Giant anteaters mainly inhabit tropical grasslands and sparse forests, preferring to build their homes in low-lying areas near water or in forest swamps. They usually live alone and are active at night. Giant anteaters have a gentle nature and are harmless to humans and animals.
As its name suggests, the giant anteater is a fascinating animal that specializes in eating termites. It is of relatively large size, with a body length of 100–130 centimeters, a tail length of 65–90 centimeters, and a weight of 18–23 kilograms; the largest individuals can reach 40 kilograms. It has a very strange appearance: its spine is raised and curved in an arch shape, while its head is thin and long, with a skull length of 38 centimeters. The forehead is flat, the brain capacity is very small; the ears, eyes, and nose are all small, and the mouth is even smaller, being merely a tiny opening at the front of the head that seems to not exist at all. It has no teeth in its mouth, as it only needs to swallow food such as ants whole, so it doesn’t need teeth for chewing. The snout transformed into a large conical tube only as thick as a pencil, capable of holding the long tongue inside it. Its worm-like long tongue can extend up to 61 centimeters in length, but its width is only 1–1.5 centimeters; it is a highly sophisticated organ packed with muscles, capable of carrying out the most complex hunting tasks. Due to the high demand for saliva, its submandibular glands are highly developed, extending from the throat to the chest. When feeding, these glands secrete a thick layer of saliva on the long tongue; this tongue is then inserted into the ant nest, where the ants stick to it and are pulled out. As the tongue retracts like a conveyor belt, it carries the ants into the mouth. The giant anteater has thick and coarse hair, mainly black-gray in color with some brownish tones; the hair on its front limbs is lighter in color, more grayish-white, and it features two wide black vertical stripes with white edges that run from the throat, over the shoulders, to the back. Both the forelimbs and hindlimbs have 5 toes. The forelimbs are thick and strong, and except for the fifth toe, they all possess long, scythe-like curved claws; in particular, the claw on the middle toe is very powerful and serves as its main weapon for self-defense and digging ant nests. However, because its claws are too long, it is unable to let its front paws touch the ground while walking; it has to bend its long claws backward so that the tips of the claws make contact with the ground, resulting in a strange, limping gait that appears awkward and ridiculous. The hind legs are shorter, and each toe is also equipped with sharp claws of similar size. Its tail is particularly well-developed, with long and fluffy fur on it, resembling a large broom that drags behind it; it can protect against wind and rain. When sleeping, it can be used to cover the head or laid on the ground as a fluffy blanket – very practical. The giant anteater is found from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Costa Rica in Central America all the way to northern Argentina in South America; it primarily inhabits areas along rivers, swamps, humid forests, and low-lying regions in grasslands. It has a solitary and gentle temperament, moves very cautiously and slowly, and never harms humans or animals. They usually act alone, and only when female animals carry their young do small groups form. They usually go out to move around and look for food during the day, and sleep and rest at night. They like swimming but are not good at climbing trees. While walking, it keeps sniffing around with its nose, its snout almost touching the ground, and it keeps wagging its tail – looking quite peculiar. Its diet is highly specialized, as it feeds solely on various ants such as black ants and termites, as well as a few insects and larvae. People have long been curious about how anteaters were able to survive in Central and South America without being completely hunted to extinction by predators such as pumas and jaguars. In fact, it has many means to protect itself and a certain level of resistance. If in danger, the giant anteater will also run away at top speed, in a rather awkward manner. If it really cannot escape, it will sit on the ground using its tail, raise its upper body, and wrap itself around its opponent. Thanks to its hard and thick skin, it can temporarily withstand the opponent’s sharp teeth and claws. It then uses its strong, clawed front feet to counterattack, while also emitting a strange whistling sound as a threat to the opponent; this often prevents the predatory beast from attacking, allowing it to escape from danger or win the fight. The gestation period for female giant anteaters is about 190 days, and they give birth to only one offspring per litter, usually in spring. After the cub is born, the female takes very good care of it, often carrying it on her back and staying by its side until she becomes pregnant again. After 9 months, the young reach a size similar to that of adults. Its lifespan is 14 years.