Giant Anteater Pup Born at Santa Barbara Zoo

The Santa Barbara Zoo released the following information Tuesday:

A second male pup within one year has been born to a pair of giant anteaters at the Santa Barbara Zoo.

The latest pup, born on Thursday, November 6, is being reared by its mother in a holding area, and will not be on view to the public for at least two weeks.

The older pup, born in March, is on view at the Zoo until next week, when he leaves for Staten Island Zoo as part of a cooperative breeding program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

The pup born in March was the first giant anteater born at the Zoo since 2006, and the first offspring for adult pair Anara and Ridley. He was one of a pair of twins, but the female newborn pup did not survive. Twins in anteaters are rare, though Anara (aged 2) is a twin and was also hand-raised, at the Fresno Zoo.

The sire Ridley, is 6 years old and was imported from Germany’s Zoo Dortmund in 2008 by the AZA, “While we were delighted with the success of our hand-reared offspring from Spring 2014, we are even more excited that Anara is figuring out how to be a good Mom on her own this time,” said Sheri Horiszny, Director of Animal Care.

“We imported Dad, Ridley, from Germany four years ago to add to the genetics of the North American population, and we are pleased that we are now beginning to make that contribution.”