San Diego Zoo & Wildlife Alliance has just added a new ambassador to its collection, a 12‑year‑old female giant anteater named Laura Garcia, who arrived last week from Miami as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. At the same time, the zoo’s conservation genetics team has achieved a first‑ever non‑invasive sex‑determination test for the species.
Laura Garcia’s Arrival and Early Days
Laura Garcia is the San Diego Zoo’s newest giant anteater. The organization announced last week that the 12‑year‑old female has moved into the zoo’s giant anteater habitat. The zoo isn’t sure how she acquired her name, but it is clear that she arrived with the name from Miami as part of the Species Survival Plan, an organization that helps protect threatened and endangered species.
Meghan Breen, Public Relations Representative for the zoo, told NBC 7: “we [the San Diego Zoo] do know that she is settling in beautifully and will be a great ambassador for her species,” adding that the new anteater is already getting comfortable in her new home.
Laura is getting to know the zoo’s only other giant anteater, Orion, the 10‑year‑old male, as well as her wildlife care team. Visitors who want to see the newest member of the zoo’s anteater family can head to the giant anteater habitat, located just under the Skyfari West exit ramp, which is likely the most ant‑free zone of the zoo.
A Breakthrough in Conservation Genetics
For the first time ever, the zoo’s conservation genetics team was recently able to determine the sex of a giant anteater using only 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, the zoo said. The test is non‑invasive, relying on hair samples rather than more invasive methods, and targets specific genetic markers that differentiate between the sexes.
Why This Matters
That breakthrough directly supports the management of species both in human care and in the wild, as the zoo said.
Key Takeaways
- Laura Garcia, a 12‑year‑old female giant anteater, arrived last week from Miami as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan.
- The zoo’s conservation genetics team performed the first non‑invasive sex‑determination test for a giant anteater, using hair samples.
- The breakthrough adds a new genetic service to the lab’s portfolio, supporting species management in both human care and the wild.
The San Diego Zoo welcomes Laura Garcia into its family and celebrates a pioneering moment in conservation genetics, underscoring its commitment to the protection and study of threatened and endangered species.
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