Baby anteater new on display at Palm Beach Zoo

A 7-month-old giant anteater will go on display this weekend at the Palm Beach Zoo.

E.O., named for noted Harvard biologist and ant specialist E.O. Wilson, was born to mother Odelia and father Cruz.  Until now, E.O. has spent most of his time riding on his mother's back.

The 30-pound E.O. will be at the "dig site" animal encounter in the Mayan Plaza where visitors can get a close up view.

Giant anteaters have a two-foot-long tongue and large salivary glands that produce a sticky saliva that clings to ants, termites and other insects. The tongue also has backward pointing spines. Giant anteaters can flick their tongues 150 times a minute and can consume up to 30,000 ants a day which they grind with a very muscular stomach. Giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) are native to Central and South America.