Sandra Lee Gahan, age 9, of New Brunswick, Canada, for her question:

WHAT IS AN ANT BEAR?

An anteater is the name of a group of mammals that feed

mostly on termites and ants. The term is usually used for animals of the order Edentala although several other animals are also called anteaters. The others include the echidna, pangolin and aardvark.

Largest and best known anteater is the giant anteater. This interesting creature is also called the ant bear. He can grow to be over six feet long, including his two and a half¬foot tail. He can weigh as much as 75 pounds.

The ant bear has a tube shaped head and a long, slender snout. He has no teeth. His hair is coarse and brittle. He gets his food by ripping open ant nests with his strong front claws. Then he pushes out his sticky tongue, which is more than a foot long, and licks up the ants