There's a new addition at the Miami Zoo: a baby giant anteater The Miami Zoo has a new resident. © From Ron Magill/Miami Zoo Ziggy Ebenezer, was born on December 8, the same date as its mother, at. SUBSCRIBE to Barcroft Animals: special teddy bear has been standing in as mum for a tiny baby anteater at ZSL London Zoo. The giant anteater uses its sharp claws to tear an opening into an anthill and put its long snout, sticky saliva, and efficient tongue to work. But it has to eat quickly, flicking its tongue up to. The Houston Zoo has welcomed a new addition to its animal family. Olive, an 11-year-old giant anteater, gave birth to a yet-to-be-named pup on March 31, 2020, according to a Thursday release. HOUSTON – There’s a new baby giant anteater in town at the Houston Zoo. The yet-to-be-named baby was born to mom Olive on the evening of March 31. Both mom and baby are doing well.

On one of the coldest nights in the city, the Miami Zoo received an addition to their family. A giant anteater baby called Ziggy Ebenezer was born on December 8. However, the newborn male was found abandoned by his 7-year-old mother, Laura, in a corner in the cold and was weak as per a press release by the zoo. Ziggy was found by zookeepers who quickly transported him to a zoo hospital for better care and treatment. He was placed in intensive care. While Ziggy's chances of survival looked slim initially, he responded well after getting warm and being fed.

'Zoo keepers were able to collect natural milk from the mom which was supplemented with a formula substitute and was initially administered directly into the infant’s stomach through a tube that was carefully inserted through the mouth,' the release noted. After Ziggy gained some strength, he was taken back to his enclosure to his mother but the reception was cold. 'Though the mother initially allowed the baby to be placed on her back, she soon became intolerant of it and her behavior indicated that she was not going to care for it and that it would need to be returned to the hospital for hand-rearing,' the release added.

Ziggy was tube-fed initially, and as he regained his strength, he switched to drinking from a bottle on his own. He needed to be fed every 3 hours and had to be monitored around the clock. Ziggy's 'distinct black and white coat' began to appear after a while. However, veterinarians are 'cautiously optimistic that the baby has overcome the most serious challenges of its first few days and are hoping that the improvements continue though there are still obstacles ahead as there would be for any infant in this situation.' And they were not wrong.

Facts About Baby Giant Anteaters

In a Facebook post on December 22, the zoo gave more updates on Ziggy's improvement since his birth. It noted that the animal 'is doing very well and continuing to gain weight.' They wrote: Thank you to our community for the warm wishes in welcoming 'Ziggy Ebenezer', the baby boy anteater, to the family! Since his birth on 12/8, it has been confirmed that he is in fact a boy, and Our wonderful staff will continue to hand-rear him until he is big enough to be introduced to his habitat. Giant anteaters are normally found in Central and South America. However, their population is slowly declining due to habitat loss, as a result of which they have been placed on the list of vulnerable animals.

This species of anteaters among the largest of the four known and they can easily grow to 6-8 feet. They are also known as 'ant bear' due to their appearance and have a 2-foot long tongue that can lick up 150 ants and termites per minute. While they have no teeth, they make up for it with their powerful front claws which can be used to fend off threats.

We are proud to announce the birth of a baby giant anteater. The yet-to-be-named baby was born on the evening of March 31 to mom, Olive. Giant anteaters spend the first few weeks of life clinging to their mothers and will typically hitch a ride on mom’s back for almost 12 months.

Olive has been very attentive to the baby, carefully nursing and transporting the pup on her back. After allowing the pair plenty of time to bond, keepers and zoo veterinarians will determine if the baby is male or female.

Giant anteaters face threats resulting from habitat loss and agricultural expansion. The Zoo’s anteaters serve as ambassadors for their wild counterparts, helping zoo guests understand this unique species. The Houston Zoo is proud to support the Giant Armadillo Conservation Program, a group working to protect giant armadillos and anteaters in the wild.

What Do Baby Giant Anteaters Eat

Although the Zoo has temporarily closed its gates to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the team continues to work tirelessly to care for the animals. In order to help support the Houston Zoo during this unprecedented time, the Emergency Zoo Fund has been launched to help.