Betsy the giant anteater / Chattanooga Zoo photoThe Chattanooga Zoo announced its newest exhibit on Wednesday - a giant anteater named Betsy.
Betsy, an energetic two-year-old female from the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, Illinois, is "very curious" and "can be very shy at times", according to a news release from the Zoo.
She is the first giant anteater to be featured at the Zoo after work began last year to expand the animal collection and exhibitory. With weather permitting, Betsy will have full-time access to her outdoor exhibit during normal Zoo operating hours, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The new exhibit features a large outdoor habitat with a pond, an indoor holding and keeper area and multiple public viewing areas., the release states.
Betsy the giant anteater / Chattanooga Zoo photoBetsy's arrival at the Zoo is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), a population management program that works to preserve animal species in the wild. Through the SSP, the Zoo plans to place a male with Betsy for breeding, according to the release.
Giant anteaters eat insects and can grow up to seven feet long and weigh up to 140 pounds. Their tubular snouts and two-foot-long tongues allow them to find insects and ants in tiny spaces. Since they have poor eyesight and hearing, their noses are their most valuable tool. The giant anteater is currently considered vulnerable with its population declining daily, the release states.