Head to head
Silky Anteater vs Giant Anteater
The silky anteater and the giant anteater sit at opposite ends of the anteater family's size range, and their survival strategies reflect it, one hiding in plain sight high in the canopy, the other standing its ground on the forest floor with slashing claws.
| Silky Anteater | Giant Anteater | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Cyclopes didactylus | Myrmecophaga tridactyla |
| Size | The smallest anteater species | The largest anteater species |
| Lifestyle | Spends nearly all its time in trees | Ground-dwelling |
| Defence | Curls into a motionless, foliage-like ball | Rears up and slashes with claws |
| Diet | Insectivore | Insectivore |
| Tail | Prehensile | Not prehensile, used like a blanket |
| Native range | Central and South America | Central and South America |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
Silky Anteater vs Giant Anteater: common questions
Which anteater is bigger, the silky or the giant anteater?
The giant anteater, by a huge margin; it is the largest anteater species, while the silky anteater is the smallest, small enough to fit in a person's hand.
How do the silky anteater and giant anteater defend themselves differently?
The silky anteater hides by curling into a motionless ball that closely resembles a clump of foliage, while the giant anteater, too large to hide effectively, instead rears onto its hind legs and slashes with powerful claws.
Which anteater spends more time on the ground?
The giant anteater, which is ground-dwelling, while the silky anteater spends nearly its entire life in the forest canopy and rarely if ever descends to the ground.