Anteaters in mixed exhibits

[ZooNews2024]

Mod edit: topic split from this thread: ZSL London Zoo News 2025 [ZSL London Zoo]

I'm not surprised they are trying to make the capybaras permanent. Like others said I think having them in the old anteater enclosure would work (especially if they bring back anteater too).

On topic of anteaters, shame about the tamandua, I've always had bad luck with this species being showy but on my one visit to London it was really active.

How well do anteaters do in these mixed exhibits? The success rate with sloths housed like this is pretty variable. Is the same the case for anteaters?
Some animals are too important to throw into a mix, just to make an exhibit for the public and are probably better housed on their own.

 

[Cat-Man]

How well do anteaters do in these mixed exhibits? The success rate with sloths housed like this is pretty variable. Is the same the case for anteaters?
Some animals are too important to throw into a mix, just to make an exhibit for the public and are probably better housed on their own.

Yes, I’d be a bit concerned about mixing anteaters with anything.

 

[Lafone]

Yes, I’d be a bit concerned about mixing anteaters with anything.

Anteaters are successfully mixed with both Mara and Crested Screamers (with all the animals breeding successfully over time and no mix problems) at CWP. They have some rotation around for the Mara as the latter also share off and on with one of the Capybara. I find it surprising to see the idea that these animals have been 'thrown together' by any reputable collection or that it puts those animals at risk repeated and endorsed in this thread. Perhaps you can outline your concerns as clearly there is a suggestion the zoo are doing something wrong.

Chester also have the Anteater and Capybara sharing the paddocks etc. Again good to know what the zoo are doing wrong here.

 

[Velas]

How well do anteaters do in these mixed exhibits? The success rate with sloths housed like this is pretty variable. Is the same the case for anteaters?
Some animals are too important to throw into a mix, just to make an exhibit for the public and are probably better housed on their own.

Anteaters do quite well in mixed exhibits actually. Don't know what could be in hand for London to mix with those guys, but I believe it would work out with Capybaras, be it Tamanduas or Anteaters (altough I've only seen Giant anteaters mixed with these dog-sized rodents).

Here in my local zoo both species live in mixes, with the Tamanduas living alongside Prehensile-tailed porcupines, Agoutis and Pacas for more than a decade, and the Giant anteater with Brocket deer, Greater rhea and Tapirs (formerly Capybara as well). Another zoos in Brazil and around the globe do similar exhibits, so I don't believe anything would go wrong if they make the right conditions for all the species in the mix.

 

[Cat-Man]

Anteaters do quite well in mixed exhibits actually. Don't know what could be in hand for London to mix with those guys, but I believe it would work out with Capybaras, be it Tamanduas or Anteaters (altough I've only seen Giant anteaters mixed with these dog-sized rodents).

Here in my local zoo both species live in mixes, with the Tamanduas living alongside Prehensile-tailed porcupines, Agoutis and Pacas for more than a decade, and the Giant anteater with Brocket deer, Greater rhea and Tapirs (formerly Capybara as well). Another zoos in Brazil and around the globe do similar exhibits, so I don't believe anything would go wrong if they make the right conditions for all the species in the mix.

Interesting insight, thanks for providing the examples of it being done successfully. I wasn’t aware of them being mixed anywhere before, but good to know there’s a precedent if London do go down that route.

When and why did the giant anteaters leave London, does anybody know?

 

[Tankyboi]

Howletts once had a mixed capybara/anteater exhibit

imo I think there be a species suitable to mix with small mammals with no real issues

 

[Daubentoniidae]

Also yeah anteaters can mix in with a lot of species it seems; Amazon World in the Isle of Wight used to (not sure if they still do) had tamandua in with three-banded armadillos and night monkeys, as well as sloths I believe. As for giant anteaters many places have had them mixed in with maned wolves, but also guanaco/vicuna which London Zoo did in fact have when they had them last.

 

[cerperal]

Also yeah anteaters can mix in with a lot of species it seems; Amazon World in the Isle of Wight used to (not sure if they still do) had tamandua in with three-banded armadillos and night monkeys, as well as sloths I believe. As for giant anteaters many places have had them mixed in with maned wolves, but also guanaco/vicuna which London Zoo did in fact have when they had them last.

Indeed they still do - in fact, there's 3-4 different exhibits with different numbers of each just because of how many they have. I was genuinely very, very impressed by their mix. Amazon World is very underrated as a collection in my opinion

To me the obvious anteater mix is the one Marwell used to have - at least briefly with rhea and capybara, at different times if I'm remembering right (I was a child, don't judge me). Vienna also has what must be the most complete mix, with seriema, giant anteater, capybara, rhea and inevitably something I'm forgetting.

 

[Cat-Man]

Indeed they still do - in fact, there's 3-4 different exhibits with different numbers of each just because of how many they have. I was genuinely very, very impressed by their mix. Amazon World is very underrated as a collection in my opinion

To me the obvious anteater mix is the one Marwell used to have - at least briefly with rhea and capybara, at different times if I'm remembering right (I was a child, don't judge me). Vienna also has what must be the most complete mix, with seriema, giant anteater, capybara, rhea and inevitably something I'm forgetting.

I vaguely remember the Marwell anteater mix, but I don’t actually recall them being let out in the big paddock with the other species that often. I’m sure other members will have better recollection than me, though.

 

[Enzo]

Hello.

The typical Cerrado/Pantanal mix (Brazilian tapir, capybara, giant anteater, greater rhea, grey brocket deer) is somewhat common across Brazilian zoos. Of course, a species or two might be missing, but seeing two of the four species together is almost guaranteed at any zoo you visit.

My local zoo is home to a Cerrado-themed enclosure, where one can (or at least could) see capybaras, giant anteaters, greater rheas and grey brocket deer sharing the same space. Former denizens of this exhibit included Brazilian tapir, collared peccary (could still be there) and lowland paca. Many wild birds, like muscovy ducks, frequently bathe in the enclosure's pool.

São Paulo has giant anteater mixed with grey brocket deer. Pomerode houses its anteater(s) with greater rheas, whereas Sapucaia do Sul is home to a huge enclosure where anteaters are mixed with capybaras, red brocket deer and greater rheas.

Dallas World Aquarium is (or was) home to a diverse species-mixed exhibit containing giant anteaters, red-backed bearded sakis and a three South American birds (black-necked aracari, Montezuma oropendola and Northern helmeted curassow). Ergo, it seems giant anteaters can even be housed alongside smaller primates. I wouldn't recommend mixing them with capuchins, though.

 

[JVM]

Giant anteater have also been mixed with maned wolf at Leipzig and alongside tapir and monkeys here at Brookfield in the past. (I think this included when we held capuchins previously before a hiatus, but can't say for sure.) They seem to be somewhat open to mixed exhibits.

 

[Lafone]

Southern Tamandua also successfully share a house with armadillos at CWP. As per the other posts anteaters of different species appear to mix well with a variety of animals,

Southern Tamandua are also housed in the worlds apart exhibit at Colchester where they share their side with at least the Coppery titi monkeys. I believe the Geoffroys marmoset which was in there too died but @DesertRhino150 might be able to confirm the current mix in the enclosure as they are always up to date with the latest Colchester goings on. It’s a really nice exhibit though and a great way to see them.

There are a large number of examples of successful mixing it seems, though it depends on the individuals and I expect space, housing and options to separate when needed come into it, as with any mixed exhibit.

 

[DesertRhino150]

Southern Tamandua also successfully share a house with armadillos at CWP. As per the other posts anteaters of different species appear to mix well with a variety of animals,

Southern Tamandua are also housed in the worlds apart exhibit at Colchester where they share their side with at least the Coppery titi monkeys. I believe the Geoffroys marmoset which was in there too died but @DesertRhino150 might be able to confirm the current mix in the enclosure as they are always up to date with the latest Colchester goings on. It’s a really nice exhibit though and a great way to see them.

There are a large number of examples of successful mixing it seems, though it depends on the individuals and I expect space, housing and options to separate when needed come into it, as with any mixed exhibit.

Current mix with the tamanduas at Colchester are the coppery titis and a pair of Goeldi's monkeys.

 

[ZooNews2024]

Anteaters do quite well in mixed exhibits actually. Don't know what could be in hand for London to mix with those guys, but I believe it would work out with Capybaras, be it Tamanduas or Anteaters (altough I've only seen Giant anteaters mixed with these dog-sized rodents).

Here in my local zoo both species live in mixes, with the Tamanduas living alongside Prehensile-tailed porcupines, Agoutis and Pacas for more than a decade, and the Giant anteater with Brocket deer, Greater rhea and Tapirs (formerly Capybara as well). Another zoos in Brazil and around the globe do similar exhibits, so I don't believe anything would go wrong if they make the right conditions for all the species in the mix.

In the UK it is a legal requirement (tightened massively and really very restrictively) under new laws introduced in May, to have every diet for every individual approved by vets and nutritionalists, then monitored and individual consumption recorded.

How is this done when lots of animals are dumped together, and there is no record of which animal is eating what?

In the UK at least these types of exhibit, which have recently become very popular presumably because they display a lot of animals for the minimum of investment, regardless of animal welfare or success - might well be on the way out.

The UK does have the most restrictive, unfair and bureaucratic licencing system of any country in the World, so it may well be that other countries do things differently.

 

[ZooNews2024]

Southern Tamandua also successfully share a house with armadillos at CWP. As per the other posts anteaters of different species appear to mix well with a variety of animals,

Yes it is very logical that tamandua (and sloth too) would have little interaction with armadillos, even if they knew they were there at all - and both species could be fed quite separately.
I was more interested really in those species which used the same enclosure space and the active ones could quietly (or visibly) intimidate the others, (in view of keepers or otherwise) and steal their food or parts of it, rendering the diet inadequate.

 

[Lafone]

Yes it is very logical that tamandua (and sloth too) would have little interaction with armadillos, even if they knew they were there at all - and both species could be fed quite separately.
I was more interested really in those species which used the same enclosure space and the active ones could quietly (or visibly) intimidate the others, (in view of keepers or otherwise) and steal their food or parts of it, rendering the diet inadequate.

I don’t believe any of the examples cited in this thread in general have animals which would be in competition with each other for food and you can see in some of them how feeding is controlled. CWP for the giant anteater mix for example feed via a variety of means including feeders only particular animals can access as well as some food some prefer over others and mix birds as well as Mara. Or in other cases they feed them from / in their own housing areas.

 

[DCzootripper]

What is this thread classing as an anteater, just giant anteaters or tamanduas as well?

 

[Daubentoniidae]

Drusillas Park also has giant anteaters with azara's agouti mixed in occasionally, and Edinburgh Zoo used to have giant anteaters and maned wolves together which I never saw but must've been interesting.

 

[Velas]

In the UK it is a legal requirement (tightened massively and really very restrictively) under new laws introduced in May, to have every diet for every individual approved by vets and nutritionalists, then monitored and individual consumption recorded.

How is this done when lots of animals are dumped together, and there is no record of which animal is eating what?

In the UK at least these types of exhibit, which have recently become very popular presumably because they display a lot of animals for the minimum of investment, regardless of animal welfare or success - might well be on the way out.

The UK does have the most restrictive, unfair and bureaucratic licencing system of any country in the World, so it may well be that other countries do things differently.

I don't know about how other zoos do that, but can say it about my home zoo, as I've seen all the animals in both mixed exhibits eating. The anteaters and tamanduas all have a food container that are specifically designed like a termite mound, so only them can acess the food via their elongated snouts. In the case of the mix with the rodents, the porcupines receive their food in platforms around their climbing structure, so that the ground-dwelling pacas and agoutis can't access them (and the tamandua of course won't try to eat chopped pieces of produce and food pellets).

In the case of the larger animal mix, there's multiple feeding areas around the exhibit (for both the giant anteaters and other inhabitants), so each animal has at least one "through" to eat their prepared diet. It is quite possible for the Brocket deers, Tapirs and Rheas to nible on each other's diet due to the similar types of food offered, but all the animals are fed more then once a day, to prevent this "stealing" to be frequent.

This procedure that UK zoos have to do is also done here in my zoo (but not in such intensity from what I have understanded), so every animal has its diet carefully manufactured by the vets and nutricionists, and each feeding area is checked during the interval between feedings to verify if each animal has eaten all that was offered. Also, if any problems with the feedings do appear, each species can be separated on their respective holding areas to receive their diet, so this shouldn't be a hard problem for them to solve.

 

[ZooNews2024]

I don’t believe any of the examples cited in this thread in general have animals which would be in competition with each other for food and you can see in some of them how feeding is controlled. CWP for the giant anteater mix for example feed via a variety of means including feeders only particular animals can access as well as some food some prefer over others and mix birds as well as Mara. Or in other cases they feed them from / in their own housing areas.

All of the monkeys listed would eat the 'porridge/gruel' put out for Tamanduas, very keenly in most instances and perhaps even in preference to their own diets. Maybe there are mitigation/control measures, maybe not - this was the reason for my original question.
South American monkeys are particularly dirty too, so presumably there has to be a way of stopping feeding areas from being fouled by primates.
Giant Anteaters are an easier line to draw, as although the rheas/capybara/tapirs/mara are on quite similar diets and will eat each others food, the gruel fed to an GA is of a quite different texture and composition.
Rodent mixing with both edentates and primates also has the considerable disease risk, with toxoplasmosis and especially yersinios being of huge concern.
The instances of visible and invisible stress when housed like this potentially affecting welfare and longevity of sensitive species subject to anorexia, is another issue.