Laura Garcia — the new female giant anteater — has moved into the San Diego Zoo, the organization announced last week.
Why the name “Laura Garcia”?
The zoo isn’t sure on how she got that name either, only that she arrived with that name from Miami as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, an organization which helps protect threatened and endangered species.
While not much is known about how the 12-year-old anteater got her unique name “… we [ the San Diego Zoo] do know that she is settling in beautifully and will be a great ambassador for her species,” Meghan Breen, Public Relations Representative, told NBC 7.
Since her arrival, Laura Garcia has been getting to know the zoo’s only other giant anteater, Orion, the 10-year-old male, as well as her wildlife care team.
If you’re looking what is likely the most ant-free zone of the zoo, head to the giant anteater habitat, located just under the Skyfari West exit ramp.
For the first time ever, the zoo’s conservation genetics team was recently able to determine the sex of a giant anteater using a non-invasive genetic-based test. Researchers do that by extracting anteater DNA from a few hairs and target portions of the genome found in both males and females, and then just in males, according to the zoo.
That breakthrough brings a useful addition to the lab’s portfolio of genetic services which directly supports the management of species both in human care and in the wild, according to the zoo.