{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "giant-anteater",
  "name": "Giant Anteater",
  "scientificName": "Myrmecophaga tridactyla",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The giant anteater is a unmistakable mammal with a long snout, bushy tail, and front claws used to tear open termite mounds. Its tongue extends up to 60 cm and flicks 150 times per minute into insect nests. Listed Vulnerable, it walks on knuckles to protect claws and carries single offspring on its back.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Pilosa",
    "family": "Myrmecophagidae",
    "genus": "Myrmecophaga"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 40,
    "lengthM": 2.1,
    "topSpeedKmh": 30,
    "lifespanYears": 16
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Myrmecophaga tridactyla"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Insectivore — ants and termites"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Grasslands, savannas, and forests of Central and South America"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "14–16 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "33–50 kg (73–110 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 30 km/h (19 mph) in gallop"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Grasslands, savannas, and open forests from Guatemala and Honduras south through Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia.",
    "continents": [
      "North America",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Myrmecophaga tridactyla.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Myrmecophaga%20tridactyla&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Myrmecophaga tridactyla. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Myrmecophaga_tridactyla/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Giant Anteater.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_anteater"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/giant-anteater/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/giant-anteater/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}