When you walk through the forest in Amazonia one of the things that is strikes many people is the realization that anything can happen. Though rainforests are packed with wildlife, many species have spent millions of years evolving to be camouflaged, silent, and virtual invisible to the senses - which of course helps them to remain undetected by predators. Yet in the jungle, you never know when one of these hidden creatures will reveal itself.
Not long ago several volunteers and an expedition leader were on one of our trails and stopped to listen for a while. They were standing quietly when they heard rustling. The noise grew louder until a giant anteater crossed the trail only twenty feet in front of them. They watched in amazement as the giant trotted off into the jungle.
Giant anteaters are often killed by locals who feel that they are dangerous. Folklore casts them as an aggressive giant that can stand on its hind legs to slash and kill a man, or dogs (which is not untrue, they will defend themselves if provoked). But these are gentle animals.
We have found the population of giant anteaters within our reserve to be healthy and this year we are going to be taking an in depth look at their numbers, habits, and secrets. The below photo is not from Tamandua Expeditions, it was found on the internet, but shows the size and beauty of one of the most unusual creatures we work with! Can you believe how big that is?
