Rhode Island zoo's female giant anteater comes courting at Abilene Zoo

A female giant anteater from Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island has been matched with Beni at the Abilene Zoo as part of a national breeding program for endangered species.

The pairing of Beni and -year-old female Demo (dem-oh) is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan, the Abilene Zoo said in a news release.

Demo is a combination of the names of the anteater's parents Delilah and Mochilla.

Demo and Beni can be seen in the South America exhibit of the Abilene Zoo.

“Zoos accredited by AZA are working with giant anteaters to maintain an assurance population and to support conservation programs in their home range,” said Denise Ibarra, the zoo's general curator. “Research shows that only around 5,000 giant anteaters remain in the wild.”

Giant anteaters are considered a threatened species overall. They are hunted for food, hit by cars and driven out of their habitat as land becomes local farming ground, the release said. 

The giant anteater’s gestation period is about six months. After birth, its young climb on the mother’s back, where they will remain for up to a year.

“We are optimistic that one day we will get to announce the impending arrival of a tiny new giant anteater to the zoo,” Ibarra said. 

The giant anteater exhibit opened to the public in May 2018 as part of the 2015 city of Abilene bond program, the release said.

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