AMAZING FACTS
ABOUT THE AARDVARK
G'day folks,
Welcome to some interesting facts about another animal that shares our planet with the rest of us. The aardvark is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native
to Africa. It is the only living species of the order Tubulidentata,
although other prehistoric species and genera of Tubulidentata are
known.
Aardvarks look a bit like pigs, with rabbit-like ears and a
kangaroo’s tail - yet they are not related to any of these animals. In fact,
one of their closest living relatives is the elephant!
Quick Facts
- Type: Mammal
- Diet: Omnivore
- Life span: 23 years
- Size: 43–53 in (length not including the tail)
- Weight: 117–181 lb
- Habitat: Mixed including savannas, grasslands, woodlands and bushland
- Range: Sub-Saharan Africa
- Scientific name: Orycteropus afer
Amazing Facts About the Aardvark
Aardvarks are tough mammals that live throughout
Sub-Saharan Africa. They can eat 50,000 ants in a night, and are brilliantly
adapted to digging with their spade-shaped feet. Aardvarks are a vital part of
the ecosystem as they are prey for many species, and their old burrows provide
homes for other animals such as African Wild Dogs.
Where does the name Aardvark come from?
The name Aardvark comes from South Africa’s
Afrikaans language and means ‘earth pig’ or ‘ground pig’. Aardvarks are also
known as ‘antbears’, ‘anteaters’, ‘Cape anteater’ and ‘earth hogs’.
What do Aardvarks look like?
Aardvarks are distinctive looking animals with a
pig like appearance.
They have a stout body with an arched back, long
thin head and neck and long tubular ears that are usually held upright, but can
be folded down. The hind legs are longer than the front ones, and they have
powerful spade shaped feet and claws that are perfect for digging.
Aardvarks are pale yellowish-gray in colour with
short fur on the head and tail and long fur on the legs. Their tails are
muscular, cone shaped and approximately 28 in (70 cm) in length.
Where do Aardvarks live?
Aardvarks are found in a wide variety of habitats
in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is the part of Africa below the Saharan desert.
They favour areas with ample supplies of ants and termites such as savannas,
grasslands, woodlands and bushland but tend to avoid rocky or swamp areas, as
they are less suited to digging.
Aardvarks are nocturnal, sleeping in underground
burrows during the day and coming out at night to feed. When breeding, burrows
can be extensive networks of over 33 ft (10 m) in length and with multiple
entrances. The layout of the burrow can be altered frequently, and it is not
unusual for aardvarks to leave borrows and move on to new homes.
What happens to abandoned Aardvark
burrows?
Old
aardvark burrows are good for the ecosystem as they often inhabited by smaller
animals like the African Wild Dog.
What do Aardvarks eat?
Aardvarks feed almost exclusively on ants and
termites, and are known to eat around 50,000 in one night. They can eat plants
and often feed on an African cucumber known as the aardvark cucumber. The
relationship between aardvarks and aardvark cucumbers is symbiotic, meaning
both species benefit. The aardvark gets a source of food, and the cucumber
benefits as the seeds are released into the environment when the aardvark
defecates.
After sunset, they leave their cool burrows and
forage over many kilometres in grasslands and forests for their favorite food,
termites, swinging their long nose from side to side to pick up the termites’
scent.
How are Aardvarks adapted to eating
insects in the soil?
As well
as their powerful feet and claws that aid in digging, aardvarks have sticky
wormlike tongues that can be up to 12 in (30.5 cm) long. Their hair is
thick around the nostrils, which acts to filter dirt when eating, and the
nostrils can be closed fully to prevent dirt getting in.
Do Aardvarks get bitten by termites?
Aardvarks
feed on termites, which do bite them, but aardvarks have tough skin which
protects them.
What predators do Aardvarks have?
Aardvarks are prey to many animals including lions,
leopards, hunting dogs, hyenas, and pythons.
Aardvarks have a keen sense of hearing that enables
them to detect approaching predators. If they need to escape, they can dig fast
or run in zigzags. If not, they can strike with their claws, tail and
shoulders, and have been known to flip onto their backs and lash out with all
fours.
If attacked in the tunnel, aardvarks can seal the
tunnel off behind them or turn around and attack with their claws.
When do Aardvarks give birth to cubs?
Aardvarks are solitary and only come together to
mate; females have a gestation period of seven months. One cub is born between
May and July and will remain in the burrow for the first two weeks of life.
Cubs start eating termites at around nine weeks of age, and start digging
burrows at six months, but remain with the mother until the following mating
season.
What are the greatest threats to
Aardvarks?
Aardvarks are listed as least concern by the IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species.
The extent of threats is mostly unknown and no
particular conservation measures are in place currently. Potential threats
include the bushmeat trade, subsistence hunting and habitat loss due to
agriculture.
Clancy's comment: Not exactly the prettiest of creatures, but it's here for a reason I guess.
I'm ...
No comments:
Post a Comment