Zoo announces birth of baby tamandua and Patagonian cavies                                          
May 20, 2005

Baby tamandua

The El Paso Zoo is happy to announce the birth of three new babies.

Two male Patagonian cavies were born in the South America Land exhibit on March 13.  They are in good health and are being reared by their mother.  The birth increases the zoo population to five animals.  Cavies are from Argentina. They are related to guinea pigs and capybaras. These animals resemble rabbits and may move in hops. They may also bounce on all four legs at once when moving fast. 

On April 8 a female baby tamandua, also called a lesser anteater, was born in the South American Pavilion.  The baby received a physical on May 5 and is doing well.  Tamanduas are from Venezuela, Trinidad, northern Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay.  Babies sometimes ride on the backs of their mothers.

The Zoo will announce on its website and by way of future press releases when they are ready to go on public display.