Tiny ‘giant’ born!

We're celebrating the birth of a rare giant anteater pup!

Proud parents Andina and Eskil, who are both 15 years old, welcomed their fourth baby together on Monday, 2nd March, and visitors can see the tiny arrival hitching a ride on mum’s back.

Their growing family now includes daughter Myrtle, who is two, and the newest arrival, while two of their older offspring have moved to join groups in other zoos in Europe in recent years.

Although the species is called the giant anteater, the pup is only around 50cm long and keepers have yet to determine its gender as they are leaving the mother to rear it naturally.

With eye-catching black and white diagonal stripes, dense shaggy hair, super-sized snouts and magnificent bushy tails, giant anteaters certainly stand out from the crowd.

Jason Keller, Senior Keeper, said: “Giant anteaters are such a unique species and every birth is really important for their conservation.

“They are classified as vulnerable to extinction in the wild and, with populations in continued decline, they are considered the most threatened mammal in Central America.

“The new arrival is already able to walk around on its own but, like all baby anteaters, prefers the safety of mum for now. This means that for the next six to 12 months it will be riding round on its mother’s back, which is such a lovely sight to see.

“With such distinctive markings it is a little hard to spot the baby at first as it blends in with mum, but it is worth a closer look, as once you catch a glimpse of that tiny snout, you won’t be able to take your eyes off it!”

Giant anteaters hail from the swamps, grasslands and humid forests of areas from Southern Belize to northern Argentina and they are the last living species to have evolved on South America when it was an isolated continent.