Ailing Phoenix Zoo anteater has to be euthanized
Jul 27, 2017, 8:43 AM
(Facebook Photo)
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Zoo has said goodbye to the oldest animal of its type in the country, Ebenezer, the giant anteater.
Zoo officials said in a post on social media this week that the 28-year-old Ebenezer had been euthanized this week. He had been in failing health and was getting worse, they said.
The anteater fathered 12. The next three generations combined to produce dozens of descendants. In all, Ebenezer was responsible for 118 anteaters, 44 of them finding homes in zoos in Europe.
The post read, in part: “He was such a sweet boy, and all of his caretakers will forever have a special place in their heart for him.
“We will miss the “old man” greatly, but are so proud of the legacy he leaves behind and the impact he has had on the conservation of his species.”
According to National Geographic the average life span of a giant anteater in the wild is 14 years.