you can't take it home, but...

As mentioned in a recent post, giant anteaters don't make good house pets. However, that doesn't mean you can't adopt one! Many zoos have programs that allow you to "adopt" the animal of your choice. They do this as a way to raise funds to help keep their animals well cared for and to help adopters feel closer to their favorite zoo inhabitants!

I won't list every location from which you can adopt a giant anteater, but I encourage you to seek out your local zoo to find out if they offer anteater adoptions. (To find out if your local zoo or animal park even has a giant anteater, check out this species holding list.) Zoo animal adoption can be a unique gift, and a nice way to support your local animals to boot! Alternately, you can adopt a giant anteater from the World Wildlife Fund, an organization that focuses on supporting global wildlife and natural resources. You'll even get a plush anteater doll like the one pictured in the inset if you adopt at the $50 level or higher! •>~

in the wild

Were I to ever stumble upon an anteater making his (or her) way out in the wild, I have no doubt that it would be a breathtaking vista. Giant anteaters make their natural homes in Central and South America, and they're happy living in either grasslands or more heavily wooded areas like the rainforest. Photographer Szymon Kochanski was lucky enough—and quick enough with his camera—to capture the snapshot above. It was taken while he was touring the Pantanal, a conservation area of Brazil, which is a relatively common place for giant anteaters to dwell. What an awesome sight! •>~