Northern Tamandua
Tamandua mexicana
The Northern Tamandua has a specialized, sticky tongue that can extend up to 40 centimeters, but it possesses absolutely no teeth, relying on its muscular gizzard-like stomach to grind food.
- Scientific name
- Tamandua mexicana
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Pilosa › Myrmecophagidae › Tamandua
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Tropical dry and moist forests, mangroves, and wet savannas.
- Diet
- Strictly insectivorous, primarily consuming ants and termites.
- Range
- Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador
- Size
- Head-body length of 50-70 cm, tail length of 40-67 cm, weighing 3.2-5.4 kg.
- Lifespan
- 9 to 12 years in the wild
- Active
- crepuscular
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, wildfires, vehicle collisions, and attacks by domestic dogs.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless unless cornered. Maintain a safe distance of at least 5 meters. If threatened, the tamandua will hiss, release a foul odor, and stand on its hind legs to slash with its powerful, sharp claws. Do not approach or attempt to touch. If scratched or clawed, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention to prevent infection.
The northern tamandua ( Tamandua mexicana ) is a species of tamandua, an anteater in the family Myrmecophagidae. They live in tropical and subtropical forests from southern Mexico, through Central America, and to the edge of the northern Andes.
Photo: no rights reserved, CC0, via iNaturalist
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