By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
A native of South America, tamanduas are a rare site in the United States. One on the slipper slide? Unheard of. But not at Great Bend's Brit Spaugh Zoo. Curator Ashley Burdick said Enzo the anteater has been a hit on the zoo's new slide.
"The kids love him," she said. "He's not an animal you see very often in zoos, especially. They're considered a lesser anteater. Oftentimes, you'll see the giant anteaters at zoos but he's a little less common, and he's just a fun one for the kids to get close to and pet."
Enzo's trips down the slide are hit-and-miss. Tamanduas are nocturnal animals that do not favor the daylight hours, and the heat index climbing past the century mark makes his appearances a special treat.
"He was out for the Great Race that was in town, so he went down the slide that day," Burdick said. "Especially with how hot it is, it will probably have to wait until it gets cooler before he comes out."
Tamanduas have tongues that can reach as long as 16 inches, perfect for grabbing ants and termites out of their colonies. They typically eat around 9,000 insects a day. Giant anteaters can grow as large as 85 pounds, while tamanduas usually top out at around 10 pounds.