Tamanduas in the City

Last week, guests aboard the M/V Aqua got a special treat when they spotted a Tamandua during one of their water-based excursions. An ant-eating mammal with a tapered head and poor eyesight, a Tamandua’s tubular mouth opening is only as wide as the diameter of a pencil, from which the tongue is protruded to catch insects.

Also last week, our New York-based PR person, Nestor, had the same encounter while visiting the Central Park Zoo (pictured below). As part of the Rain Forest display, the New York institution known for being the inspiration for the movie “Madagascar” has a resident Tamandua that manages to sleep through the hoardes of curious guests tapping on its glass home.

Central Park Zoo’s Tamandua: http://www.centralparkzoo.com/animals-and-exhibits/animals/mammals/tamandua.aspx