QuestionGiant anteater
Are Giant Anteaters Dangerous? Claws and Rare Attacks
Giant anteaters are not usually dangerous: they are shy, toothless insect-eaters that walk away from people. But a cornered or frightened anteater can rear up on its hind legs and slash with front claws around 10 cm (4 in) long, which can cause serious injuries. Human deaths are very rare and have followed hunting, chasing or close contact.
Contents
Why giant anteaters are not naturally aggressive
The giant anteater has no interest in large animals. It eats ants and termites, has no teeth and cannot bite in any meaningful way. Its daily life is a slow walk from one insect nest to the next, nose to the ground.
When it senses danger, its first choice is to leave. Anteaters usually shuffle away or break into a clumsy gallop toward cover. Because their eyesight is poor, they may not notice a quiet person until they are close, which is why surprise encounters sometimes happen in tall grass.
The defense: a standing “hug” with claws
If an anteater cannot escape, it switches to an impressive defensive posture:
- It rears up on its hind legs, using its thick tail as a third leg for balance.
- It spreads its front legs wide, showing the long claws.
- It strikes or swings its arms inward, hooking and slashing anything within reach. This is sometimes described as an “anteater hug”, but it is a defensive strike, not an embrace.
The claws are built for tearing open termite mounds that can be as hard as dried clay. The middle claw on each front foot is around 10 cm (4 in) long, and the shoulders and forearms are very muscular. Used in defense, the same equipment can cause deep cuts, especially to the legs and thighs of a person standing close.
How often do anteaters hurt people?
Recorded injuries are rare. Most come from Brazil, where giant anteaters are still fairly common in places like the Pantanal and the Cerrado, and they nearly all fit the same pattern:
- Hunting: people trying to kill or capture an anteater, often with dogs.
- Cornering: an anteater trapped against a fence, building or riverbank.
- Handling: rescued, injured or captive animals being moved or treated.
Brazilian doctors reported in 2014 on several cases of injuries caused by giant anteaters, including the deaths of two hunters between 2010 and 2012; in both cases the attacks appeared to be defensive. In 2007, a zookeeper in Argentina died after being slashed by a captive giant anteater.
These cases are tragic, but they need perspective. Giant anteaters live across a huge area of South America with millions of people, and serious attacks on people who simply watch them from a distance are not known.
Natural predators: jaguars and pumas
Adult giant anteaters have only two important natural predators: the jaguar and the cougar, or puma. Both are skilled hunters, but they have to approach an adult anteater carefully.
A standing anteater can badly wound a big cat. There are field reports of jaguars and pumas being driven off, and claims that anteaters have occasionally killed a big cat, although such cases are hard to verify. Most of the time, the cat attacks from behind or targets young animals. Pups riding on their mothers’ backs are protected by staying close to her.
Domestic dogs are a far bigger daily threat. Dogs often chase anteaters, and both animals can be badly hurt in the fight.
Who is more at risk: people or anteaters?
In reality, giant anteaters are in far more danger from people than the other way around. The species is classed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with a decreasing population. Each year many are killed on roads, burned in grassland fires, attacked by dogs or hunted.
Some anteaters are also killed because they are feared. The defensive standing posture looks threatening, and in some areas the animal’s reputation for dangerous claws leads to unnecessary killing.
| Risk | Who is at risk | How common |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive claw injuries | People who corner, chase, hunt or handle anteaters | Rare |
| Road collisions | Anteaters | Common in parts of Brazil |
| Fires | Anteaters | A major cause of deaths in dry grasslands |
| Dog attacks | Anteaters and dogs | Frequent near farms and towns |
How to watch giant anteaters safely
Seeing a giant anteater in the wild is a highlight of a trip to the Pantanal or Cerrado. A few simple habits keep both you and the animal safe:
- Keep your distance. Watch from a vehicle, a boat or at least several meters away, and use binoculars or a zoom lens.
- Never block its path or approach it against a fence, river or building.
- Never try to touch, feed or pick up an anteater or its pup, even if it looks calm.
- Keep dogs leashed in anteater country.
- Drive slowly at dawn, dusk and night, when anteaters often cross roads.
If anyone is injured by a wild animal, seek emergency medical help immediately.
Given space, a giant anteater will simply ignore you and go back to what it does best: eating thousands of ants and termites a day. You can read how it does that in how do anteaters eat ants?.
Frequently asked questions
Has a giant anteater ever killed a person?
Yes, but very rarely. Two hunters were reported killed by giant anteaters in Brazil between 2010 and 2012, and a zookeeper died after being attacked by a captive anteater in Argentina in 2007. In each case the animal was cornered, hunted or in close contact with people.
Will a giant anteater attack you?
Not if you leave it alone. Giant anteaters have no reason to attack people and usually walk or gallop away. Problems start when someone, or a dog, corners, chases or tries to grab one.
Can a giant anteater kill a jaguar?
Jaguars and pumas are its only important natural predators, and they usually win. However, a giant anteater that rears up and strikes with its claws can badly wound a big cat, and there are reports of cats being driven off or seriously injured.
How long are giant anteater claws?
The largest claw, on the middle toe of each front foot, is around 10 cm (4 in) long. The anteater walks on its knuckles with the claws tucked in, which keeps them sharp for digging and defense.
Are anteaters aggressive?
No. They are calm, solitary insect-eaters that spend their time sniffing out ant and termite nests. Aggression is almost always defensive, or between rival males.
Sources and further reading
- Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan), "Myrmecophaga tridactyla"
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, "Myrmecophaga tridactyla"
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Anteater"
Cite this page
“Are Giant Anteaters Dangerous? Claws and Rare Attacks.” Animal Atlas, https://animals.bigworldlist.com/questions/are-giant-anteaters-dangerous/.
