Ambling anteater

This Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is shown here wandering across a swampy bit of grassland next to a seasonal creek. The photo was taken on July 10, 2008, in the afternoon on our way back to town. My friend Jaime Bocchietti thought that the reason the animal was not so easily alarmed as I got closer to take a picture with my point-and-shoot camera, was that I was wearing a motorcycle helmet, and so therefore perhaps I didn't look like much of a threat. He also thought that, as I wandered farther and farther from the safety of the motorcycle, that it might not be such a good idea to let the gringo interact with the wildlife on quite such an intimate basis. About ten seconds after this photo was taken, the anteater noticed me and dashed off back across the swamp in the direction he came from.