Edinburgh Zoo welcomes SNOUTstanding giant anteater pup
Posted 29 Apr 2026
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo has welcomed a curious new giant anteater pup. Born on Sunday 5 April to parents Gizmo and Zeferino, the youngster has affectionately been named Snoot by the wildlife conservation charity.
Snoot can be spotted enjoying the spring sun while riding on mum’s back as they explore their hilltop habitat together. The species carries its young piggy-back style for up to 10 months, offering protection from predators, camouflage while foraging and as a bonding technique.
Helen Martin, senior carnivore keeper at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “With the warmer weather we are having in Edinburgh we are excited for visitors to see little Snoot exploring their habitat with mum, all while hitching a ride on her back. It is amazing to witness.
“We’ll soon find out if Snoot is a boy or a girl once they have their first health-check from our vet team in a couple of weeks. Snoot’s little personality is already starting to shine, and we can already tell just how sweet and shy they are.”
As well as being part of the European breeding programme for giant anteaters, RZSS has worked with Dr Arnaud Desbiez and his team at the Wildlife Conservation Institute (ICAS) in Brazil for over a decade to safeguard giant anteaters and their rapidly disappearing habitat.
Helen added: “It is wonderful to have our own little ambassador for this vulnerable species right here in Edinburgh. Being able to allow our visitors to see these remarkable animals up close and create connections with Snoot and her parents helps raise awareness of the challenges the species faces in the wild.”
Every visit to Edinburgh Zoo directly supports giant anteater conservation in the wild.
Book online and save to see Snoot!Notes to Editors
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Images and video
Hi-res images are available here: https://we.tl/t-GdHVqJz1W8D6XYOy
Images are free to use but please credit RZSS
Notes to editors:
- Giant anteaters are native to Central and South America
- The species is listed as Vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Habitat loss and degradation, roadkills, hunting and wildfires have been substantially affecting the populations. There have been many records of population extirpation, especially in Central America and in the southern parts of its range
A Population Viability Analysis showed that vehicle collisions reduce stochastic growth rate of a subpopulation in Brazil by half (Desbiez et al. 2020)
About the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (rzss.org.uk)
- The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is a wildlife conservation charity with a bold vision: a world which protects, values and loves nature
- Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park are gateways to the natural world through which people can experience nature, learn about the challenges facing wildlife and discover how we harness our expertise in conservation science and animal care alongside the unique power of the RZSS family – our teams, supporters and partners – to save animals from extinction
For further information, please contact comms@rzss.org.uk or 0131 314 0383
