The Nortern tamandua amandua mexicana
The Northern tamanduas are found in Central and South America, from southeastern Mexico to Central America, and in South America west of the Andes from northern Venezuela to northern Peru. The Northern tamandua is much smaller than the giant anteater: its average body length is 77 cm, the length of the tail ranges between 40 and 67 cm and weight varies from 4 to 5 kg. The Northern tamandua has elongated head and snout, small mouth which size is just enough for protruding and retracting the tongue measuring up to 40 cm in length. Hairless, prehensile tail of the Northern tamandua has irregular black patches. This anteater has small eyes and quite bad eye sight, while large, erect ears are indicative of the important role of its sense of hearing. Each of the front paws has four clawed toes (the claw on the third toe reaches the length of 10 cm), the hind paws have five toes each. Northern tamanduas are fawn to brownish coloured and have a distinct, black “V” pattern covering their front legs like the sleeves, and going down their backs. Northern tamanduas are known for very potent odour produced by the anal gland. As a result, they are sometimes referred to as “stinkers of the forest”. These animals can be nocturnal or diurnal and are active for about eight hours at a time. They often feed in trees; studies of tamanduas in Venezuela demonstrated that northern tamanduas spend 13 to 64% of their life in trees. On the ground, tamanduas are quite clumsy and slow. Usually, tamanduas move on the outer edges of their feet as to not cut themselves. The tamandua is able to defend itself using its sharp-clawed forepaws. When an enemy locates it, the tamandua clasps the branch or trunk of the tree with its hind legs and tail or, if on the ground, leans on the rock or tree trunk or fall on its back, and fight with its feet.
The maximum captive lifespan recorded is nine and a half years. Southern tamandua females reach sexual maturity by the age of one year and are able to breed throughout the year, although mating usually occurs in autumn (like in the Northern tamandua). Gestation lasts 130 to 150 days and a single offspring (twins are not common) is born in spring time. For a while, the mother carries her uniformly coloured offspring on her back.
Tamanduas are mainly feeding on ants and termites, finding them by smell. They tear ant and termite nests open with their powerful front claws and lick the insects off with their long, tubular tongues. Tamanduas have also been seen eating bees and their honey and in captivity they will eat fruit and meats.
