A giant anteater was spotted at a zoo doing its thing. However, the footage featuring the animal left the netizens confused for some reason.
Giant Anteater With Two Heads Spotted At a Zoo?
Footage shared on Instagram in August 2022 has resurfaced on Twitter. It showed an animal eating from a log. However, many are confused because it seems to have two heads. A white, furry head moves along with the anteater as it moves its snouts along the bark.
Several netizens were confused after watching the clip as they were not sure if the giant anteater had a second head because a white and black portion seamlessly moved in unison with its actual head.
One netizen said he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Another said he was seeing two different types of animals.
A different commenter said he was seeing two heads and had to really watch it close to make sure he wasn't tripping. Another user echoed the same sentiment, saying he saw a two-headed creature - one was an anteater, and the other was a goat. However, he wondered about its three legs and peacock tail. The netizen was also wondering if the animal was wearing a shoe.
Some questioned the footage's authenticity. Others speculated that it was doctored and manipulated to show a bizarre being.
The footage of the giant anteater was captured at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, Massachusetts, Daily Mail reported.
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Is The Giant Anteater Video Real?
Apparently, the video was real, and the animal in question was a giant anteater. It was a normal giant anteater.
The second head that left many confused was actually its camouflaged forearm.
Anteaters have a grey-brown body. However, their legs remain white and fluffy with bands of black around them, making the paws look as though they have a nose and eyes.
The design of their legs is not just to scare off predators. It also acts as a form of camouflage.
Giant anteaters are solitary animals. Female anteaters only give birth to one offspring a year, and they are fully grown around two years old, they leave their mothers.
Giant Anteater Fun Facts
Giant anteaters are the largest of the four anteater species. They can be found throughout Central and South America except for Guatemala, Uruguay, and El Salvador, where they are considered extinct, according to Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.
They could grow up to 8 feet and weigh between 27 and 45 kilograms. They feed on tiny termites and ants with their 2-foot-long tongues. Their powerful tongues can flick in and out up to 150 times per minute.
Their bodies have distinct patterns in various shades of brown with wide black stripes from their upper front legs toward their spine. Their front legs are white, and they have bushy tails.
Giant anteaters don't have undercoats to keep them warm, but they have longer hair on their legs and tail, resembling a horse's mane.
They protect their sharp front claws by tucking them into their palms and walking on their front knuckles. Their back feet and claws are more similar to bears.
They walk slowly, but they can gallop at over 30 miles per hour when necessary. They can also climb and swim.
Giant anteaters can live up to 26 years in human care.
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Check out more news and information on Anteaters in Science Times.