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Animals with long tongues

Anteaters, chameleons, giraffes, okapis, pangolins, echidnas and aardvarks use long tongues to obtain food. Some catch insects, while others grasp leaves. Tongue shape and movement suit their feeding habits.

Examples and feeding methods

  • Giant anteater: a narrow, sticky tongue reaches ants and termites.
  • Chameleon: a rapidly projected tongue captures prey. Its reach varies between species and individuals.
  • Giraffe: a mobile tongue and lips help grasp leaves on branches.
  • Okapi: the tongue strips buds and leaves from forest vegetation.
  • Pangolin: a long tongue coated in sticky saliva collects ants and termites.
  • Echidna: the tongue passes through a narrow mouth to collect food; diets differ between species.
  • Aardvark: a sticky tongue extracts insects from their nests.

Tongues can catch, collect or grasp

Long tongues work in different ways. A chameleon’s tongue rapidly reaches prey. Sticky surfaces help anteaters and pangolins collect insects. Giraffes and okapis can curl their tongues around vegetation.

How are tongues measured?

Species, body size and measurement method matter. Total tongue length is not always the same as the portion that can extend beyond the mouth.

These animals belong to different groups. Chameleons are reptiles, while the other examples are mammals. Similar feeding adaptations can evolve in different groups.

Frequently asked questions

Which animals have long tongues?

Examples include anteaters, chameleons, giraffes, okapis, pangolins, echidnas and aardvarks.

Do all long-tongued animals eat insects?

No. Giraffes and okapis use their tongues to grasp vegetation.

Are anteaters and aardvarks the same animal?

No. They are different mammals, although both use sticky tongues to catch ants and termites.