Anteaters with slender tongues and strong forelimbs
Anteaters are a unique creature in the suborder Hermitoglossae of the class Mammalia. They have a slender snout, mucous A textured tongue and strong forelimbs, as well as sharp claws capable of destroying insect nests. They get their name from their main food: termites and ants. Among the strangest animals in the world, the anteater certainly ranks high. In this article, we’ll explore this strange animal from many angles.
Anteaters have a very unique appearance. Their snouts are very slender, usually longer than their bodies, shaped like a tube, and their tails are also very long, which can be used to climb trees or tree trunks. .
The tongue that is retracted into the mouth is very sticky and can catch insects such as termites and ants. Their forelimbs are very strong, especially the third digit, which has hook-like claws that are used to dig insect nests or dig out food such as bark or roots.
Anteaters live in forests and tropical swamps in South and Central America. They are active day and night and are mostly nocturnal animals. When they find insects such as ants or termites, they lick them with their tongues. The tongue is very flexible and can stretch to extremely long distances. In addition to eating insects, anteaters can also eat other foods such as fruits and small mammals. They are often lonely in the forest, but sometimes several anteaters gather together to forage together.
Anteaters are mainly distributed in South and Central America, including dwarf anteaters, giant anteaters, small anteaters and Mexican small anteaters. However, as anteater numbers have gradually declined, not only because humans have settled agriculture, destroying anteater numbers, but more importantly because humans hunt them and steal their habitat, this has led to their loss in most areas All are listed as vulnerable animals, so governments around the world have begun to strengthen the protection of anteaters.
Protecting anteaters is not only an important part of the self-regulation of our own ecosystem, but also needs to be realized deep in the hearts of every citizen with a conscience and a sense of mission.