148 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 75 



Fig. 115. White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus. Photo by B. L. Clauson. 



Species Extirpated from the Park 



Myrmecophaga tridactyla 

 Giant Anteater, Oso Caballo 



Giant anteaters originally were found from Guatemala and Belize throughout 

 the tropical lowlands of Central America and tropical South America to southwestern 

 Brazil (Fig. 116). The subspecies Myrmecophaga tridactyla centralis was found 

 in Central America, but its range is now much reduced due to overhunting and 

 habitat destruction. There are few records or observations of giant anteaters from 

 this region, and we suspect that this species is either extirpated from this area as 

 it is from much of the country, or that population numbers are so low that the 

 population cannot be considered viable. 



