San Diego Zoo Names New Tamandua Pup Tatis Jr. After Padres Star

SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego Padres fans may have spent the last week watching two division rivals battle it out in the playoffs. But now they have something that neither Dodgers fans nor the Giants fans can claim - a southern tamandua named after their star player.

On Friday, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park announced that it had named its newest tamandua pup Tatis Jr., after San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr.

"To honor one of the city's most recognizable institutions, we have decided to cement their accomplishments by naming one of our newest animals after OUR most valuable player - shortstop and outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr." the zoo said in a statement.

According to the zoo, the southern tamandua is a type of anteater, often called lesser anteaters because they are much smaller than their relative, the giant anteater.

The zoo said Tatis Jr. was born July 21 to first-time tamandua (pronounced tuh MAN dehwah) parents, Cora and Fernando. Cora and her pup have been bonding since Tatis Jr.'s birth.

Tatis Jr. currently weighs about 2907 grams. From tip of nose to tip of tail, he's approximately 26 to 28 inches in length. His height while standing upright on hind feet looking up, is about 22 inches, the zoo said.

"Tatis Jr. is a very curious tamandua, who loves to explore, climb, ride on mom's back, wrestle with a plush anteater and nap," wildlife care specialists said. "His favorite food is currently waxworms.".

The zoo said southern tamanduas are native to Central and South America and are at home in trees and on the ground. They have small eyes and poor vision, but have acute senses of hearing and smell. They feed mainly on small insects like ants and termites.

Using their specialized mouth and 16-inch-long sticky tongue, tamanduas eat up to 9,000 ants in a single day. They are covered in thick, coarse hair that helps keep ants from reaching their skin, and they have enormous front claws that help to climb trees and are used for defense and when digging for food.

Tamanduas use their prehensile tail for balance and support while climbing. They also are
sometimes called "stinkers of the forest," as they may release a very unpleasant odor, similar to a skunk's, from a gland at the base of their tail when a predator gets too close.

Tamanduas have stable populations and are classified as a "species of least concern" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, according to the zoo.

However, they are currently at risk due to habitat loss, and are being taken from their native habitats for the pet trade at an increasing rate.