chasing anteaters

It's summertime in the Northern Hemisphere, which for many of you means vacation! And what better time to visit a friendly giant anteater—or three? To find the anteaters on view nearest you (or your travel destination) check out the ISIS's handy dandy listing of all giant anteater holdings around the world. Note that not all the anteaters in a given zoo or wildlife park are on permanent display, but you can generally assume at least one or two are out and about, ready to greet visitors.

But why stop at captive critters? A fascinating article in The New York Times earlier this year described a fantastic trip idea: journey to Guyana in South America to seek out giant anteaters in their natural habitat! Tours can be a bit pricey, but oh, to catch sight of the fluff on an anteater's tail as she hunts for breakfast in a wild savannah! If you're interested in learning more, Guyana's tourism board hosts a helpful website devoted to nature travels, with a specific guide to scoping out wild giant anteaters while visiting that country. Consider it officially on my bucket list! •>~

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! •>~