Two large anteaters have moved into Ukumari Land
Great joy at Frankfurt Zoo. After 23 years, two large anteaters have finally found a new home here. The new arrivals are one-and-a-half-year-old INES, who came to Frankfurt from Zlín-Lešná Zoo in the Czech Republic in mid-May, and her much larger companion FALIN, who also moved to Frankfurt from Cologne Zoo in mid-May. The two, who are currently still living in the new enclosure separately in shifts until they get used to each other, will surely quickly win the hearts of visitors. For large anteaters are as curious as they are impressive: they have no teeth but a tongue up to 60 cm long, they walk on the back of their hands and cover themselves with their luxuriantly hairy tails to sleep. Including the imposing tail, they can grow up to 230 cm long and weigh up to 52 kilograms.
Ines and Falin spent their first weeks in Frankfurt behind the scenes in Ukumari Land in side-by-side enclosures. Here they could slowly get used to each other by smelling and hearing each other. The anteaters were also able to make contact with each other through a slider. This slow habituation process is very important, because anteaters are basically solitary animals, but in zoos they can be kept well as a pair. This is also the goal in Frankfurt, but only when the animals are fully grown and ready for breeding. That will still take a few months. Until then, the howler monkeys will keep them company in the outdoor enclosure during the warmer months.
Great anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) originally live in Central and South America. They are the largest members of the anteaters. The smaller relatives, the black and white tamanduas, can be observed in the Grzimekhaus of the Frankfurt Zoo. "According to the Red List of the World Conservation Union IUCN, the great anteater is considered endangered. Habitat loss, bushfires, hunting and car traffic have been causing populations to dwindle for years.
In some regions of its range it is already considered extinct. We therefore hope all the more that INES and FALIN will have offspring in due course and thus contribute to the preservation of the species," says Niekisch.
More info can also be found at: <link http: www.zoo-frankfurt.de _blank>www.zoo-frankfurt.de
