There are four subspecies of T. tetradactyla (Gardner 2007).

Tamandua tetradactyla is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, its occurrence in a number of protected areas, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

Tamandua tetradactyla is found to the east of the Andes from Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad Island, and the Guianas (French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname), south through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay to northern Uruguay and northern Argentina. It ranges from sea level to 2,000 m Asl (Emmons and Feer 1990).

Tamandua tetradactyla is a relatively common species. Although there are few estimates of population density for this species, they vary from between 0.43 and 9 individuals/km² (Noss et al. 2010).

Tamandua tetradactyla is adaptable to a variety of habitats, including gallery forests adjacent to savannas, lowland and montane moist tropical rain forest (Eisenberg 1989), as well as mangroves and coastal environments, such as restingas (Molina 2021). It also occurs in degraded or disturbed forests, forest fragments, periurban forests and even urban settings. Typically, this solitary species has pale tan or golden fur with a black vest, but uniformly tan to black colouration also occurs (Wetzel 1985). Recent studies have shown that significant morphological differences exist between the subpopulations north and south of the Amazon River (F. Miranda pers. comm. 2013). It mainly feeds on ants and termites, but also attacks bee nests to eat honey (Emmons and Feer 1990). The female gives birth to a single young once per year (Silveira 1968).

In some portions of its range the Southern Tamandua is hunted for meat, attacked by domestic dogs, or sold as a pet species (Aguiar and Fonseca 2008, Noss et al. 2008, Aliaga-Rossel et al. 2021, D.A. Meritt Jr. pers. comm. 2010). Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation, wildfires, and especially road traffic represent major threats in some portions of the range. In Uruguay, T. tetradactyla is affected by habitat loss due to land use change (Coitiño et al. 2013). Many southern tamanduas died during the severe wildfires in Bolivia in 2019-2021; some individuals that fled the fires were killed by poachers (Aliaga-Rossel et al. 2021).

Tamandua tetradactyla is sometimes (inappropriately) used as a pet species or consumed. Some indigenous communities in the north of Brazil use their meat for food (Leeuwenberg 1997, Bodmer and Pen Jr. 1997). In the Caatinga region of Brazil, the species is used for various purposes, including as food and medicine, as a pet species, for ornamentation, and for religious purposes (Alves et al. 2016). In Bolivia, its claws are sometimes illegally sold as handicrafts. The skin is sometimes used to make leather products. Tamanduas that are found in the wild are donated or sold to private persons or zoos, and may be involved in wildlife traffic.

Tamandua tetradactyla is present in many protected areas. Further systematic studies on T. tetradactyla are needed to investigate population densities and dynamics in different parts of its range. Studbooks for captive tamanduas exist in some range countries (Brazil: Projeto Tamanduá; international: ALPZA), and a population management plan has been established in AZA zoos.