LINCOLN, Neb. — A Nebraska zoo received a big delivery when a giant anteater gave birth to a pup named Lancaster.
The Lincoln Children’s Zoo announced the baby’s arrival in a news release, saying its 3-year-old giant anteater Maisy delivered the pup on May 29.
“With the continued decrease in population of giant anteaters, this birth is incredibly important for animal conservation efforts,” Evan Killeen, Lincoln Children’s Zoo CEO, said in a statement. “Our Zoo team has worked hard to ensure the health and safety of mom and pup and they’ve done an amazing job. Maisy has a great maternal instinct and has been taking great care of her new pup.”
The zoo said that the baby was named Lancaster, after the county in which the zoo resides. It’s too early to know the sex of the pup, which the zoo promised to reveal at a later date.
Both Lancaster and Maisy are returning to the zoo exhibition Tuesday, and will be on display for visitors for two hours daily, KOLN reported. The zoo warned that even the anteaters are “on display” the animals have indoor access, so they may not almost be visible.
Giant anteaters are listed as a vulnerable species, and are the most threatened mammals in Central America, according to National Geographic. Threats to the species include habitat loss due to fires set by sugar cane growers, hunting, and a low reproduction rate.