Giles Laurent · CC BY-SA 4.0Giant anteater
Myrmecophaga tridactyla · jurumi
A flag-like tail, an extra-long snout and a sticky tongue: the great devourer of ants and termites.
What it is
The largest of the anteaters (jurumi in Guaraní), it has a toothless tubular snout, a very long sticky tongue and strong claws for tearing open termite mounds. It walks on its knuckles to protect its claws. It visits many nests a day and eats only a little from each, so it never destroys the colony. Wildfires and roadkill are two of its biggest threats.
Did you know…?
The baby rides on its mother's back for several months, and the diagonal stripe on its coat lines up with hers as camouflage.
Where
Grasslands and savannas of the Chaco (Tinfunqué, Presidente Hayes), the Pantanal (Tres Gigantes), the Cerrado of Concepción and the Mbaracayú Reserve. It sometimes crosses roads at nightfall, so drive carefully.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 2 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.