1. Smell:
* Super sensitive nose: Anteaters have an incredibly keen sense of smell, allowing them to detect the scent of ant and termite colonies from afar.
* Long snout: Their long snouts help them to sniff out the exact location of the colony.
2. Hearing:
* Keen ears: Anteaters can hear the sounds of ant and termite activity, like the rustling of their tunnels.
3. Sight:
* Good eyesight: While not their strongest sense, anteaters can use their vision to spot potential ant or termite mounds.
4. Claws:
* Powerful front claws: Anteaters have long, sharp claws that help them to tear open ant and termite nests.
5. Tongue:
* Sticky and long tongue: Their long, sticky tongues can extend up to two feet, allowing them to reach deep into nests and collect thousands of insects in a single lick.
6. "Social" cues:
* Following other anteaters: Sometimes, anteaters will follow the tracks or movements of other anteaters to find a good food source.
Finding the food is only half the battle! Once they've located a colony, anteaters use their powerful claws to rip open the nest and then use their tongue to lick up the insects. They can eat thousands of ants or termites in a single day!