- Footage shows the anteater stand on back legs and come face-to-face with cow
This is the bizarre moment a furious anteater squared up to to a herd of cows as they approached its territory in a Uruguayan field.
Footage shows the small but mighty animal standing up onto its back legs and confronting a cow.
The solo tamanduna, or lesser anteater, then spreads its forearms wide in an apparent warning before its much bigger advisory backs off.
Another curious member of the herd approaches sparking a second tense stand-off – before the victorious anteater finally trots off having done its job.
Experts said that the cow was lucky because the anteater’s fore paws are equipped with powerful claws used to rip open rock-hard ant and termite hills.
Moo-ve it! The small but mighty animal stood up on its back legs and came face to face with a cow in Uruguay
As they rise up their back legs to look bigger, they spread their arms ready to clamp onto anything that comes too close with their claws.
And if potential enemies get near enough they are sprayed with a foul-smelling scent produced in the beast’s anal glands.
Local media says the bizarre encounter was filmed in Caraguata, Tacuarembo Department.
According to naturalist and M’ Bopicua Biopark director Juan Villalba, the video was recorded by veterinarian Sergio Rivas.
Social media users were baffled by the David and Goliath standoff.
One X user said: ‘Seriously cute! In tense moments, the big guys warn the outsider who retreats but with great dignity.’
Another also commented: ‘Wonderful nature, only they deserve to be on Earth, they are everything that is good.’
Come on then! The brave anteater was in no mood to make way as the cows approached his territory
I’ll take you all on… The anteater reared up on its hind legs to give the cows a piece of its mind
Let’s go then Daisy, me and you! The plucky anteater refused to let the cows pass
Back off bovines! The anteater circled the cows and then squared up to them again for good measure
According to local media, the species in the video is southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla), also known as the collared anteater.
Despite being listed as common all over South America conservationists say it is disappearing fast.
Hunters are said to kill them whenever they find them because they can injure their dogs.
And some remote communities are said to still use a powerful tendon in their tales for rope making.