The northern tamandua ranges from southeastern Mexico through Central America to northern Peru west of the Andes. It is partly arboreal and feeds mainly on ants and termites.
The fur is fawn to pale cream, with a distinct black vest-like marking from the shoulders across the back and belly. Its long tail can grasp branches.
Ten northern tamanduas found on roads in Costa Rica from April to July 2016 were taken to a veterinary facility for X-rays. Each animal had zero to five fractures, with a mean of 2.6. One had no fracture, and the researchers used 54 radiographs to document the animals’ bones.
Sixty-one percent of fractures were in the cranial part of the body. The humerus accounted for the largest share at 31%, followed by the ulna at 19% and radius at 11%. On the caudal side, the ilium accounted for 19% and the femur 12%. Three animals had five fractures each, and two had open growth plates. No fractures were found in the scapula or small bones of the hands and feet.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
The study documented fractures in ten northern tamanduas found on roads in Costa Rica, using 54 X-ray images. Sixty-one percent of fractures were in the cranial part of the body, with the humerus accounting for 31%. The authors present the records as a reference for wildlife rescue facilities.