Observed Behavior
When aggravated, tamanduas communicate by hissing and releasing an unpleasant scent from their anal gland. If threatened while residing in the trees, it grasps a branch with its hind feet and tail, leaving its arms and long, curved claws free for combat. If on the ground, it backs up against a rock or tree and wrestles the opponent with its powerful forearms.
Tamanduas have small eyes and poor vision. Instead, they rely more on their sense of smell and hearing. Tamanduas are able to extract their prey by using their extremely strong forearms to rip open nests. They lick up insects with their elongated snouts and rounded tongues, which can reach up to 40 centimetres (16 in) in length.
These animals, though widespread, are uncommon. Claiming that they kill their dogs, tamanduas are often killed by hunters. They are also hunted for the thick tendons in their tails, which are used to make rope. Tamanduas are sometimes used by Amazonian Indians to rid their homes of ants and termites.
Read more about this topic: Tamandua
Famous quotes containing the words observed and/or behavior:
“We travellers are in very hard circumstances. If we say nothing but what has been said before us, we are dull and have observed nothing. If we tell anything new, we are laughed at as fabulous and romantic.”
—Mary Wortley, Lady Montagu (1689–1762)
“In abnormal times like our own, when institutions are changing rapidly in several directions at once and the traditional framework of society has broken down, it becomes more and more difficult to measure any type of behavior against any other.”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)