Bulletin From the Barn: April 9, 2009
Baby Anteater Update From Keeper Marie Magnuson
Well, it’s been four weeks since Maripi gave birth. Mom and baby have been doing very well and Maripi has been very relaxed and seems to be really enjoying herself. The many warm afternoons we have had lately have been especially welcome and Maripi has indulged herself in some well deserved sun baths in the yard.
This morning was different from her usual “sleep in” however. Today one of the vets came down to the barn from the vet hospital and the baby had its first check up. Since the pup (that’s what baby anteaters are called) seems to be doing so well, we planned on making it short and sweet. The keepers brought some of Maripi’s favorite treat—peanut butter! We used this to tempt her out of bed. While she was happily licking up her treat we gently took the baby off her back. We were very careful. Even though Maripi is a sweet and even-tempered girl, she can be ferocious if she thinks her baby is in danger and has the weaponry to do something about it!
Three Very Impressive Claws
Giant anteaters' scientific name is Myrmecophaga tridactyla, which means “anteater with three toes.” In fact they have five toes, just like we do, but on their front feet they have three very impressive claws at the end of their extremely powerful front legs. This is what they would use in the wild to break open sun-baked ant hills and termite mounds that are as hard as bricks.
We did not want to upset Maripi! But as long as the baby wasn’t giving its “velociraptor call,” Maripi was calm. And as long as the baby was held firmly but gently against someone (anteater or human), he was happy.
It's a Boy!
Yes, I did say “he.” After checking the eyes, lungs, heart, and weight of the baby we finally found out that Maripi and Dante had produced a boy. The vet took a blood sample (just a small one!) to be on the safe side but it looks like he passed his first physical with flying colors. We quietly returned him to his mother and, having finished her peanut butter, they went back to bed. They were only apart for about ten to 15 minutes and it couldn’t have gone better.
You can see the anteaters in their yard when the weather is nice. Dante is usually out in the morning, and Maripi and her son are usually out in the afternoon.
