Science of the Northern Tamandua
WHAT IS A NORTHERN TAMANDUA?
The northern tamandua (Tamandua mexicana) is a species of anteater found primarily in the tropical forests of Central America. They are one of four anteater species found in the western hemisphere, and can be distinguished by their distinctive coloring, with light tan or yellow coats and black markings, often likened to a “V” or “vest” shape, over their backs and sides.
Archie, a Northern Tamandua at the Belize Zoo
Like other anteaters, northern tamanduas have long, skinny snouts, small eyes, and small, round ears. Northern tamanduas are toothless, but have a long, thin, tube-shaped tongue covered with a sticky saliva that helps them capture ants and other insects when feeding. They have long, prehensile tails, meaning that their tails are capable of curling around and grasping branches or other objects. Additionally, northern tamanduas have strong, curved claws on their forefeet (upper feet), which help with both feeding and climbing.
Northern tamanduas are typically a little over 1.1 meters (3.6 feet) in length, with their tails reaching another half meter (1.6 feet), and weigh on average just over 4 kg (around 9 pounds). Along with the closely related southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla), northern tamanduas are considered medium-sized anteaters; they are smaller than the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) and larger than the silky or pygmy anteater (Cyclopes didactylus).
WHERE ARE NORTHERN TAMANDUAS FOUND?
Northern tamanduas range from southern Mexico, throughout Central America, and into the northern and western countries of South America. They are largely found in tropical or subtropical forests, but can also be found in savanna, mangrove forests, and even on small islands. The northern tamandua’s range overlaps with that of the giant anteater, which is also found in parts of Central America and northwest South America.
A rescued tamandua at the Belize Zoo with IE cofounder Michael Windelspecht
WHAT DO NORTHERN TAMANDUAS EAT?
True to the name “anteater,” northern tamanduas eat a lot of ants! One northern tamandua may consume as many as 9,000 ants every day. Northern tamanduas use their sense of smell to sniff out an anthill, then pull it apart with their strong claws to expose the insects inside. The northern tamandua’s long, sticky tongue is perfect for infiltrating the crevices of an anthill and trapping ants for a meal.
Though northern tamanduas eat large amounts of ants, not all are from the same ant colony. Instead, a northern tamandua may visit up to 80 anthills in a single day, feeding for only a minute or less at each one. Because of this, northern tamandua feedings rarely cause significant damage to an ant colony.
Video courtesy of the Belize Zoo
In addition to ants, northern tamanduas are known to feed on other insects, including termites. Similar to their feeding behavior with anthills, northern tamanduas use their claws to expose termite mounds and use their tongues to scoop termites from their nests. Together, ants and termites make up the majority of the northern tamandua’s diet, though tamanduas are also known to feed on other insects and have occasionally been observed eating fruit.
HOW DO NORTHERN TAMANDUAS BEHAVE?
Northern tamanduas are largely arboreal, meaning they spend a large portion of their time in trees. Their strong claws and prehensile tails help them to climb and move easily through tree branches, likely helping them avoid predators on the ground. They often seek out hollow trees for resting and sleeping.
Photo by Tomáš Malík on Unsplash
In the wild, northern tamanduas have a lifespan of between six and eight years, though in captivity they can live for nearly ten years. While the tamanduas’ arboreal nature offers some protection from other animals, they are still sometimes hunted by wild cats such as jaguars or large birds of prey, and when attacked defend themselves by lashing out with their large claws.
Northern tamanduas are solitary animals and establish territories through scent marking. Female northern tamanduas typically have only one young at a time; young tamanduas stay with their mothers for around a year, during which time they can sometimes be seen carried on their mothers’ backs, before leaving to establish their own territories.
ARE NORTHERN TAMANDUAS ENDANGERED?
Northern tamanduas are currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, though their current population trend- that is, whether their overall population is increasing or decreasing across their range- is unknown.
Like many tropical species, northern tamanduas are impacted by deforestation and habitat loss. Additionally, northern tamanduas may be killed when crossing roads or intentionally hunted as a food source, though the latter is not believed to be widespread. Northern tamanduas are also occasionally kept as pets or poached for the pet trade.
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
Navarette, D., & Ortega, J. (2011). Tamandua mexicana (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae), Mammalian Species 43:874, 56-63. https://doi.org/10.1644/874.1