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Small mammals
Silky anteater
Silky anteater · Cyclopes dorsalis
The silky anteater lives almost invisibly in the forest canopy, a gentle explorer of the treetops with silky-soft fur and a careful, quiet manner.
Fact file
- Size
- Body length up to 40 cm, tail also up to 35 cm, weight usually under 500 grams
- Males and females
- Sexes hardly distinguishable from the outside, females slightly smaller
- Sounds
- Makes quiet grunting and squeaking sounds
- Diet
- Feeds almost exclusively on tree ants and their larvae
- Offspring
- Usually a single young animal, which is carried in the mother’s fur
How to identify Silky anteater
The silky anteater is unmistakable with its silky fur, ranging in colour from golden-yellow to grey. Its soft, dense coat makes it look almost like a moving cocoon, often with a dark stripe along its back. With a body length of up to 40 centimetres and a prehensile tail that can grow almost as long, it always remains compact and delicate.
The tiny ears, the long, narrow head and the very flexible front paws with strong, curved claws are especially striking. Silky anteaters usually stay curled up or stretched out in the treetops. Compared to other anteaters, silky anteaters are much smaller and, with their silky fur and almost tailless appearance, look like little cuddly toys.
More in the app
With Wildful Stories+ you also get in the app:
- general viewing tips
- one place where you can see Silky anteater
Where Silky anteater live
Discover Silky anteater on your trip.
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