Anteaters in Costa Rica might not seem like the most interesting animal at first glance. If you take a closer look you might find be inspired to look for them in Costa Rica.

Anteaters are found in the lowland and middle-elevation habitats of Costa Rica. There are three species of anteaters in Costa Rica — lesser, giant and silky. Together with sloths, this group composes the order Pilosa. This order can be traced back to the Tertiary era about 60 million years ago which was shortly after the dinosaur era. The most commonly seen anteater in Costa Rica is the lesser which is tree-dwelling. The giant is found only in the Osa Peninsula.

The lesser anteater has gold and black fur similar to a panda and can grow to 1.5m (5 ft) and weigh up to 8kg (20 lbs). It has a prehensile tail, which is adapted to holding or grasping objects. Usually the tail is used to anchor the anteater's body to a branch while dangling.

The giant anteater is the largest of the anteater species and grows to 2.4m (8 ft) and weighs up to 65kg (140 lbs). It is covered with stiff, straw-like hair which grows up to 40cm (16 inches) long. The giant anteater is mostly grey and brown in color and has a diagonal black and white shoulder stripe.

The silky anteater is the smallest member of the anteater family and grows to 45cm (17 inches) and weighs about 400g (0.9 lbs). It has a dense soft golden brown coat with a short snout and a partial prehensile tail. It also has two enlarged claws in its forepaw.

The lesser anteater is mainly nocturnal and spends between 10-65% of its time in trees. It is clumsy on the ground and not capable of the gallop of the giant anteater. The lesser anteater lives near streams and rivers of areas with thick vegetation.

The giant anteater lives in grasslands, deciduous forest and rainforests. The giant anteater doesn't live in a fixed place but curls up in abandoned hollows and burrows. It covers its body with its long, bush tail when sleeping. It stays mainly on dry ground but is a capable swimmer. When threatened, it stands on its hind legs and may strike with a claw or hug its attacker in the same fashion that a bear does.

The silky anteater is nocturnal and found in the lowland forests which has continuous canopy where it can move to new places without descending a tree. There can be high density individuals in one area, as they don't have large home ranges. The silky anteater is slow moving and eats mainly ants. It is a solitary animal that lives in silk cotton trees where it is well camouflaged from predators.

Anteater Food

Anteaters eat ants, termites and soft-bodied larva. Anteaters open insect colonies in tree trunks with sharp claws of the forelimb. Anteaters can consume a few thousand insects in minutes. They sometimes eat fruit and eggs.

Anteater Reproduction

Lesser anteaters mate in the fall and have a gestation of 130-150 days. The young are born in the spring. At birth the young anteater does not look like its parents. Rather, its coat varies from white to black. The young rides on the mother's back until it can safely sit in a branch.

Giant anteaters reproductive activity has mostly been observed in captivity and its wild habits are largely unknown. It has a gestation of 190 days and the female gives birth to a single baby that weighs about 1.3kg (3 lbs). Females give birth while standing and the baby crawls onto the mother's back at birth. Sexual maturity is reached between 2.5 and 4 years.

The Silky anteaters give birth to one baby after 120-150 days of gestation. The baby is usually placed in a nest of leaves which is located in a tree hole. Young are raised by both parents and the mother carries the baby on her back. After weaning, the young are fed by both parents which is usually semi-digested insects that are regurgitated by the parents.