An anteater is a mammal with a long snout and an extremely long, sticky tongue that it uses to slurp up ants and termites. Anteaters don't have teeth. Instead, they use their powerful claws to rip open ant nests and termite mounds, then shoot their tongues inside to lap up thousands of insects in minutes.

The giant anteater of Central and South America can extend its tongue up to two feet long, flicking it in and out of insect nests more than 150 times per minute. That sticky tongue is covered in thick saliva that traps the insects like flypaper. A single anteater might eat 30,000 ants or termites in one day.

Despite their name, anteaters don't eat only ants. They also feast on termites and other small insects. Their thick fur and tough skin protect them from angry insect bites and stings. When threatened, a giant anteater can rear up on its hind legs and use its sharp claws to defend itself, even against predators like jaguars.