Matilda is the only anteater that is allergic to ants
Caregivers in Australia were shocked to find that Matilda the anteater was allergic to her main source of food: ants!
Matilda the anteater first came to the Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia in 2010, at the age of three months. She grew up to be a curious, personable echidna (also known as a spicy anteater) and all was well until soon after she was weaned off of milk, her skin started breaking out.
Vets tried to treat her symptoms as they would any regular infection, but there was no improvement. Then they tested Matilda for allergies, going as far as including ants - her main source of nutrition - even though they did not believe an echidna could be allergic to its own food.
In this case, the most unlikely outcome turned out to be exactly the answer they needed: Matilda was indeed allergic to ants. Of the unusual discovery, Healesville Sanctuary vet Claire Madden said: "Ants make up 100 per cent of their diet, with some dirt. So understandably we were in a bit of shock at the finding." Matilda was also allergic to a few of the plants found in an ordinary anteater's natural habitat.
The vets at Healesville Sanctuary set to work creating a vaccine that would allow Matilda to continue to live in her natural environment without having to struggle to nourish herself.
Veterinary dermatologists were able to create a vaccine for Matilda and have successfully been strengthening her immune system for several years.
She had her last injection six months ago and the vets at Healesville Sanctuary are optimistic that Matilda will remain asymptomatic.
Vets speculate that her allergy could be a genetic fluke.