News Release
 
Contact: Sondra Katzen, Public Relations, 708.688.8351, sondra.katzen@czs.org
 
February 28, 2019
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Photo Captions—credit Jim Schulz/Chicago Zoological Society
5672 and 5614: A male giant anteater pup was born at Brookfield Zoo on December 15, 2018. He can be seen with his mom, Tulum, in the zoo’s Tropic World: Africa habitat on select days.

Giant Anteater Born at Brookfield Zoo

     Brookfield, Ill.—Those venturing to Brookfield Zoo’s Tropic World: South America habitat can now be on the lookout for a new addition—a male giant anteater pup. Born on December 15, 2018, the pup spends the majority of his time hitching a ride on the back of his mom, Tulum. He will continue to do this for several more months, but as he gets older, he will begin to explore his surroundings on his own. For a schedule of when the pup can be seen, go to CZS.org/AnteaterPup.

The unnamed pup is the third for Tulum and dad, Lupito. Their other offspring, both females, were born in 2016 and 2015. They currently reside at other accredited North American zoos.

Giant anteaters are the largest of four anteater species. At birth, a pup is born with a full coat of hair. In the wild, the similar coloring between a pup and its mother offers camouflage as protection from predators. Anteaters typically weigh between 40 and 100 pounds. They have a long, narrow head; a 2-foot-long tongue, which allows them to eat thousands of ants and termites each day; and a long, bushy tail. Giant anteaters have very poor eyesight. However, they have a good sense of hearing and an excellent sense of smell. They use their hearing to know when a predator is approaching and use their sense of smell to find termite mounds and anthills.

The giant anteater is found throughout tropical areas of Central and South America. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the species is listed as vulnerable. Its population is declining primarily due to habitat loss, road kills, hunting, and wildfires. Brookfield Zoo is one of 63 accredited North American zoos to have giant anteaters. The current zoo population is 112. Brookfield Zoo has been caring for the species since 1958.
 
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About the Chicago Zoological Society
The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. The Chicago Zoological Society is a private nonprofit organization that operates Brookfield Zoo on land owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The Society is known throughout the world for its international role in animal population management and wildlife conservation. Its Center
for the Science of Animal Care and Welfare is at the forefront of animal care that strives to discover and implement innovative approaches to zoo animal management. Brookfield Zoo is the first zoo in the world to be awarded the Humane Certified™ certification mark for the care and welfare of its animals, meeting American Humane Association’s rigorous certification standards. Open every day of the year, the zoo is located at 8400 31^st Street in Brookfield, Illinois, between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and is also accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, CTA, and PACE bus service. For further information, visit CZS.org.