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美國田納西州納什維爾動物園（Nashville Zoo）又多了一位「背背族」。9 月 17 日出生的大食蟻獸寶寶取名「馬特奧」（Mateo），體型大概只有半加侖牛奶盒那麼大，一出生就照著本能爬上媽媽「伊莎貝爾」（Isabel）的背。
EN Nashville Zoo in Tennessee, USA, has a new little passenger. A giant anteater baby named Mateo was born on September 17. About the size of a half-gallon milk carton, he climbed onto his mother Isabel’s back by instinct soon after birth.
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圖片來源：Nashville Zoo／Axios
Axios 報導，納什維爾動物園擁有美國人工飼養環境中規模最大的大食蟻獸族群；馬特奧是園方投入保育 25 年來的第 27 胎寶寶。
EN According to Axios, Nashville Zoo has the largest group of giant anteaters in human care in the United States. Mateo is the 27th baby born during the zoo’s 25 years of conservation work.
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條紋對齊，是天然迷彩
大食蟻獸寶寶會在媽媽背上待最長一年。寶寶身上的淺色條紋，常常剛好和媽媽的條紋連成一線，遠看就像一塊活動迷彩布，有助於躲過天敵。
EN Baby giant anteaters may ride on their mothers’ backs for up to a year. The baby’s light stripe often lines up with the mother’s stripe. From a distance, they look like one moving piece of camouflage, helping the baby hide from predators.
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園方也替馬特奧做健康檢查，確認生長狀況。對遊客來說，最療癒的畫面大概就是：長鼻子媽媽慢慢走路，背上還載著一顆毛茸茸的小飯糰。
EN The zoo also checks Mateo’s health and growth. For visitors, one of the sweetest sights is a long-nosed mother walking slowly with a fluffy little ball on her back.
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大食蟻獸靠細長的嘴和黏舌頭專吃螞蟻與白蟻，一天可以吞下成千上萬隻昆蟲。寶寶出生後會先喝奶，再慢慢跟著媽媽學找食。把寶寶背在身上，既保溫也方便移動。
EN Giant anteaters use their narrow mouths and sticky tongues to eat ants and termites, swallowing thousands of insects a day. Babies first drink milk, then gradually learn to find food with their mothers. Riding on a mother’s back provides warmth and makes travel easier.
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納什維爾動物園長期投入這個物種，代表美國區域保育網多了一個穩定的繁殖據點，基因交流與飼養手冊都能惠及其他園區。
EN Nashville Zoo’s long-term work with this species provides a steady breeding center for the regional conservation network. Sharing genes and care knowledge can also help other zoos.
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當地電視台 WKRN 也介紹了這位新居民：
EN Local television station WKRN has also introduced this new resident.
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影片來源：WKRN News 2／YouTube
※ 若影片沒有中文字幕，可點播放器右下角的齒輪 → 字幕 → 自動翻譯 → 中文（繁體）。
為什麼大食蟻獸需要動物園幫忙？
大食蟻獸在南美洲野外屬於易危物種，棲地消失與路殺都是威脅。動物園裡的繁殖不只是為了可愛，也是為了保留基因多樣性、累積飼養經驗，並做公眾教育。
EN Wild giant anteaters in South America are vulnerable. Habitat loss and road accidents threaten them. Zoo breeding is not just about cute babies. It also helps protect genetic diversity, improve animal care, and educate the public.
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納什維爾能養出北美最大的族群，代表這套長期計畫有成果。下一次如果你在動物園看到「長鼻子背著小長鼻子」，記得那不只是萌，也是保育工作默默進行了二十多年的成果。
EN Nashville’s large group shows the results of its long-term program. Next time you see a long nose carrying a little long nose at a zoo, remember that it represents more than 20 years of quiet conservation work.
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對小朋友來說，食蟻獸的外形既像「長鼻子地毯」又有點萌，是認識南美動物的好起點。下次造訪納什維爾，記得去看看伊莎貝爾背上那顆會動的小飯糰長多大了。
EN For children, an anteater may look like a cute carpet with a long nose. It can be a fun first step toward learning about South American animals. On a future visit to Nashville, look out for the growing little passenger on Isabel’s back.
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大食蟻獸媽媽背著寶寶散步的畫面，也常被拿來當自然紀錄片的經典鏡頭；納什維爾這次讓更多人在城市動物園裡親身遇到。
EN A mother anteater walking with her baby is a familiar sight in nature films. Nashville Zoo now gives more city visitors a chance to see it in person.
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精選單字
passenger /ˈpæsɪndʒər/ 乘客
instinct /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/ 本能
conservation /ˌkɑːnsərˈveɪʃn/ 保育
stripe /straɪp/ 條紋
camouflage /ˈkæməflɑːʒ/ 偽裝；迷彩
predator /ˈpredətər/ 天敵；掠食者
vulnerable /ˈvʌlnərəbl/ 易危的；脆弱的
habitat /ˈhæbɪtæt/ 棲地
