It's aardvark telling them apart! Ernesto the lovelorn anteater gets a German wife called Erica to start a family - only for zoo to discover 18 months

By JAMIE WELHAM

Doomed from the start: After months trying to get anteaters Erica (pictured) and Ernesto to mate, zookeepers at Marwell Wildlife in Winchester finally realised the reason the pair weren't hitting it off - she was actually a he

Sometimes it takes a little time to make a relationship work.
At least that’s what zookeepers in Hampshire thought as they spent 18 months trying to ignite a little passion between lonely giant anteater Ernesto and Erica, a mate shipped in from Germany especially to keep him company.
Despite their best efforts, however, the pair seemed to experience feelings of naked aggression rather than affection.

But if the keepers were frustrated by their failure, that must have been nothing compared to the frustration being felt by poor Ernesto.
For he was only too well aware of something his human handlers hadn’t realised .  .  . that Erica was in fact an Eric.
The extraordinary blunder came about because anteaters have small and well-concealed sexual organs, making it difficult to distinguish males from females.
Zookeepers at Marwell Wildlife near Winchester discovered their error after anaesthetising the German animal and examining it under a microscope.

Ant-enatal: Ernesto is enjoying the company of his new, genuinely female, mate Inti, with the pitter-patter of tiny paws now a distinct possibility

John Pullen, curator of mammals, said: ‘We wanted to be part of a breeding programme because Ernesto is one of the most popular attractions at the zoo and giant anteater numbers are low.
'We found a female mate for Ernesto at a zoo in Germany and brought her over.
‘When Erica arrived, we spent some time mixing them so that they could get used to each other. They were a little aggressive to each other but that isn’t unusual at first.
‘But it transpired that something was wrong. They became very aggressive and just didn’t get along. We got Erica out to have a closer look and it turned out she was a he.
‘Anteaters can be quite dangerous. They have really sharp claws, so we didn’t take the decision to do something like that lightly.’

Tender moment: Seven-year-old Ernesto touches snouts with his new beau

source: dailymail

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A newborn baby Giant Anteater rides on the back of his mom

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 20: A newborn baby Giant Anteater rides on the back of his mom, Evita, at the San Francisco Zoo on January 20, 2011 in San Francisco, California. The new infant giant anteater, born on December 22, 2010, made its first public appearance at the Zoo.



SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 20: A newborn baby Giant Anteater rides on the back of his mom, Evita, at the San Francisco Zoo on January 20, 2011 in San Francisco, California. The new infant giant anteater, born on December 22, 2010, made its first public appearance at the Zoo.



SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 20: A newborn baby Giant Anteater rides on the back of his mom, Evita, at the San Francisco Zoo on January 20, 2011 in San Francisco, California. The new infant giant anteater, born on December 22, 2010, made its first public appearance at the Zoo.


source: Daylife
photo: Gettyimages

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Clinging tight, the baby anteater who'll spend four months riding on his mum's back

By Daily Mail Reporter

A baby giant anteater is born at the Amazon World Zoo Park in Newchurch, Isle of Wight


A baby anteater became the centre of attention for visitors at a zoo as it clung to its mother’s tail just days after being born.

The Giant Anteater, whose gender is not yet known, will cling to its mother for four months until it is ready to walk, explore and find food on its own.

The ‘adorable’ mammal will also occasionally crawl onto its mum's front to feed at Amazon World Zoo Park in Newchurch, Isle of Wight.

It measures just over one-foot long, weighs three pounds and is the first Giant Anteater to be born in the UK this year.

The baby will be named once keepers can get close enough to tell whether it is a boy or a girl.

It will be fed an adult diet of insects, eggs and beetle larvae when it reaches six months old.

Parents Ernst, six, and Kliene, four, arrived at Amazon World in 2005 and 2007 from Germany and became part of an international breeding programme.

They produced their first young, Ishak, in August 2008 and he has now moved to Aalborg Zoo, Denmark.

Once the newborn anteater reaches adulthood he will also leave the island to join a mate at another animal collection. Anteaters are a ‘near threatened’ species.

Sian Sayers, from the zoo, said: ‘Kliene has been a really good mum and is doing a fine job looking after her youngster.


The baby anteater entertains visitors at a zoo as it clings to its mum's tail just days after being born - it will cling to its mother for four months until it is ready to walk, explore and find food on its own


‘She seems very proud of her newborn and has been parading around her enclosure showing him off to the visitors.

‘He is clinging on tightly to her bushy tail and is so adorable.

‘We can't tell yet whether it is a boy or girl. You have to get close enough to see and because they are doing so well we don't want to interfere.

‘Kliene spends her day foraging for food and the little one spends most of his time sleeping on her back or tail. It must be hard work hanging on so tightly.’

Head keeper Rachel Patrick said: ‘We are very happy that both mum and baby are doing very well.’

Giant Anteaters have a gestation period of 190 days and normally have one baby each time.


source: dailymail

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