Giant anteater born for the first time in captivity in RS, zoo reports

First giant anteater born in captivity in Rio Grande do Sul — Photo: Disclosure/ GramadoZoo

According to the zoo, the species is considered "critically endangered" in RS .

The cub, which was born on June 14, weighs around 1.5 kilos and was presented to the public on Tuesday (1st), still under the watchful eye of its mother and the site's technical team.

Since birth, the little anteater has been monitored daily, with weighing and body temperature checks.

"Anteaters have a lower average temperature than domestic animals, around 34°C, while, for example, a dog's temperature is around 38°C", explains biologist Isabela Kirch Stein.

The birth involves two rescued animals . The father arrived at Gramadozoo in 2021, coming from the São José do Rio Preto Zoo (SP). The mother was referred in December 2024 by Cetas Unesp, after being rescued in Cesário Lange, also in São Paulo.

The encounter of these two anteaters resulted in a new chapter for the species in southern Brazil.

The giant anteater, which was once considered extinct in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, was recently documented again in the Espinilho State Park, in the Pampa biome, after more than 130 years without official records.

"The reappearance may be related to efforts to reintroduce the species in Argentina, where individuals have been released with the aim of reestablishing extinct populations and expanding the area of ​​natural occurrence of the giant anteater, which may be favoring its expansion towards the south of Brazil", says biologist Isabela.

According to Gramadozoo, despite being found in all Brazilian biomes, the giant anteater faces severe threats: loss of habitat, road accidents and fires are the main culprits.

The park reports that the species is currently classified as “Vulnerable” by both the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Official List of Brazilian Fauna Threatened with Extinction.