Tapicaras

Tapicaras (Silky Anteaters) on BCI

Tapaicaras, or silky anteaters, are very hard to see in the forest because they are small and curl up in a ball to sleep all day.

Bonifacio de Leon is a friend who is very good at finding tapicaras.
These photos show him with a mother tapicara and baby that he found while Greg and I were in Panama.

The baby is hanging onto the mother's back and is pale grey in color, while the mother is more golden.

They have very soft and shiny, silky fur. The baby is wrapped cross-wise around the mother's middle, on her back, and with its tail all wrapped around her too.

How can Mom climb while carrying this load?

This was a very sleeepy baby and hardly opened his eyes at all.

Photo Credit: Jacalyn Willis, 2000