Employees of a zoo in Eibergen are searching for an escaped tamandua. The animal escaped on the night from Sunday to Monday after it made a hole in its indoor enclosure. It is unknown where the tamandua is now.
The tamandua was last seen on Monday morning, according to Maarten Reimes, director of Hof van Eckberge adventure park. That was just outside the park, near the Kuipersweg in Eibergen. Since then, the animal has disappeared. A group of about thirty people are searching for the animal.
The tamandua can move quickly, and the search area is large. “The animal may have moved to other areas in and around Eibergen,” says Reimes. The animal may have climbed into treetops, but can also hide in bushes or behind other shelters, such as crates and pots.
The tamandua is mainly active in the evening, at night and in the morning. Reimers hopes that the tamandua will be found on Monday evening. Thermal cameras and a thermal drone will also be used for this purpose.
The natural habitat of the tamandua is South America. The animal can survive in Dutch nature for a few days. It won’t last longer, because the tamandua has a specific diet that is not found enough in the Netherlands. The tamandua eats termites, ants and honey.
The animal is harmless to humans, but the zoo advises against touching the tamandua. Reimes calls on people who see the animal to contact the zoo.