Everything is Bigger in Texas, Except our Animals! How You and the Zoo are Saving Giant Anteaters and Giant Armadillos in the Wild

If you live in Texas, it is safe to say that you know our state animal is the nine-banded armadillo. My guess is you don’t just know it, you’re proud of it! After all, the armadillo is just another unique symbol that represents just how special the Lone Star State is. It may surprise you to know that not everyone feels the same about their native armadillos, but thanks to your visit to the zoo, we are able to support our extended Zoo family in Brazil that is working hard to spread the word on just how awesome armadillos in their country are! Brazil is home to the Pantanal region, which is the largest wetland in Brazil, and home to the giant armadillo. When Arnaud and his team first started the Pantanal Giant Armadillo Project, their goal was first and foremost to make people realize that this incredible prehistoric looking species existed! Many people in the Pantanal region in Brazil did not know about giant armadillos, or worse, some people were scared of them. There are legends that if you see a giant armadillo someone on the ranch will die in the next year. The team wanted to dispel this myth, and let people know that not only are these creatures alive, but if you see a giant armadillo you are very lucky because this animal is so rare! The giant armadillo also plays an important role in the ecosystem, creating habitat for other species, which in turn helps to keep the environment stable and healthy. As the project continues to progress, the team is focusing not just on raising awareness but also on encouraging locals to take action to protect this species.

The last 12 months came with ups and downs, as is the case for most of us as we work our way through the year, but overall 2017 was good to our friends working in the Pantanal. Word is getting out about the importance of the giant armadillo, with it being selected as an indicator species for the creation of protected areas in Mato Grosso do Sul (a Brazilian state) and being named as a priority species for conservation by the World Wildlife Fund. Camera traps have been used to monitor the giant armadillos in the study area, and while two beloved armadillos passed away this year, the other 12 being monitored appear to be doing quite well! In December the team was even lucky enough to capture and collar an adult male giant armadillo that is new to the study area.

An additional project run by the Pantanal Giant Armadillo Project called Anteaters & Highways is also running smoothly. The team continues to conduct road surveys and regular monitoring to assess the impact of encounters between giant anteaters and vehicles. Reflective tape on the tracking collars of anteaters being monitored appears to be working well, as none have been killed by vehicle collisions. Biologist Vinicius Alberici who is joining the Anteaters & Highways team started his field work in 2017, and in November, with the help of the team, he was able to place 20 camera traps in the study area which will help greatly with continued monitoring efforts.

Perhaps the most exciting news Arnaud shared with us is that one of the landowners the project works with recently placed a huge outdoor banner on the MS-040 highway, that includes the logo for the project and the importance of protecting wildlife! This was a pleasant surprise for the team, as this land owner was initially very skeptical of the project and not fond of the team conducting research on his land. Arnaud states “He is now one of our strongest supporters in the region and really embraced our cause.” You can see a photo of this banner in the gallery above.

This is all very exciting news, and we cannot wait to share more updates from Arnaud and his team as we begin our journey into 2018! Each time you visit the zoo, a portion of your admission fee goes towards supporting projects like this one – a big thank you to everyone in our community that is helping to save wildlife! Don’t forget to stop by and visit our giant anteaters on your next visit to the zoo!