Mar 6, 2024 - News
Nashville Zoo celebrates birth of Southern tamandua
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The zoo's newborn Southern tamandua pup. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Zoo
Meet this unnamed Southern tamandua pup, who was born at the Nashville Zoo on Feb. 12.
- The zoo reports he is doing well, and spends much of his time snuggled up on his mom Alma's back.
- While he's living behind the scenes now, he will likely become an animal ambassador by participating in educational programming in the future.
Fun facts: Southern tamanduas are relatives of giant anteaters, and are found in rainforests and savannas.
- They ward off predators by emitting an unpleasant odor as a defense mechanism.
- Tamanduas don't have teeth — they use their long tongues to poke into ant and termite dens to capture the insects.