Anteaters and Highways Project

Long-term studies of giant anteaters are lacking in Brazil making the implementation of conservation actions for this species difficult.

In Mato Grosso do Sul, road-kill is presumed to be the second highest threat to the species after habitat loss. We’ve been working with Bandeiras & Rodovias led by Dr Arnaud Desbiez, RZSS Regional Coordinator for Latin America to get a better understanding of the situation.

The Anteaters and Highways project aims to assess the impact of road-kill on the species and intends to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between giant anteaters and roads. Human beliefs and superstitions are also taken into account in this project as the species is known to receive a negative response from the public which could explain the high number of road-kills recorded.

The project’s main objectives include:

Quantifying road mortalities and predicting future giant anteater vehicle collisions across the Cerrado region
Assessing the influence of roads on the individuals’ movement and behaviour but also on their health and body condition
Understanding the motorists’ perception and attitudes to the species

The data recorded could help delineating important guideline to design new roads as well to upgrade existing ones, minimizing the impact for this species.