Taipei City Zoo claims success with anteater formula

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on April 20, 2006. It reports that the Taipei City Zoo recently developed a formula substitute for the diet of Taiwan's indigenous anteater, the Formosa Pangolin. The formula will allow the zoo to raise anteaters in captivity.

The Formosa Pangolin is a protected species. They only feed on termites and ants, which makes raising them in captivity particularly challenging.

The formula developed by the Taipei City Zoo provides a viable ant and termite substitute. Before it was perfected, 60 percent of the zoo's anteaters suffered from ulcers in their digestive tracts. It took two years of veterinary research to come up with the best recipe, which includes precise amounts of silkworm pupae, beetles, chitosan, vitamins, starch and eggs. Endoscopic examinations on the anteaters in March 2006 revealed that their stomach ulcers had all healed. The zoo now plans to release the healthy anteaters back into the wild.

So far, both the Singapore Zoo and the Bronx Zoo in New York City have also expressed interests in getting the formula.

The Taipei City Zoo is the only zoo in the world that has been able to raise anteaters in captivity. It is also the only zoo that currently exhibits anteaters. Throughout the years, the zoo has raised 14 anteaters, with the oldest being an 11-year-old female that gave birth nine years ago. Both mother and son are still going strong.

Most of the anteaters were sent to the Taipei City Zoo after being injured or falling ill in the wild. On average, 12 to 15 anteaters are sent to the zoo every year for treatment. X-rays often reveal that the sick anteaters are suffering from pneumonia. According to veterinarians, it is not easy to treat anteaters. Their thick scales preclude the use of stethoscopes. Their body temperatures average 33 to 34 degree Celsius, which is too low for regular thermometers to measure accurately. In order to measure the rectal temperatures of the anteaters, veterinarians have to use those thermometers that are normally used in baking cakes.

In recent years, fast-paced development in Taiwan's hills and low-lying areas such as orchids and tea farms have had a considerable impact on the survival of anteaters, forcing them to escape to higher grounds in the mountains. However, these creatures do not survive well in high-altitude habitats, either. The Taiwan Forestry Research Institute has been using electronic tracking devices to better understand the distribution and habits of the Formosa Pangolin. Tagged anteaters have proven to be extremely peripatetic. They switch homes weekly, or even daily, with their yearly range of movement covering up to 70 hectares.