Aardvark

Termite-mining machine

The aardvark, Orycteropus afer, is the only living species of its whole order, Tubulidentata. Its job is simple: dig up ants and termites. In a study that radio-tagged thirteen aardvarks in the Nama Karoo, the diet consisted entirely of ants and termites, with ants leading in all seasons and years.

Each toe ends in a spade-like claw that helps it dig with great speed and force. Its long, sticky tongue sweeps the insects into a small mouth, and it swallows with little or no chewing.

Tooth check Aardvarks have peg-like back teeth and no incisors or canines. Their teeth lack enamel, the hard outer coating on a tooth, and are made of densely packed tubules instead.

Size, weight and lifespan

The aardvark is the largest living burrowing mammal, at about 1.4 to 2.2 m in total length and 40 to 100 kg. It is the size of a small pig, with very thick skin. Aardvarks caught for a Kalahari study averaged 35 kg.

A lifespan database records one captive aardvark that lived 29.8 years. That is one captive animal, not a wild average.

Built for the night

Aardvarks forage at night, covering 2 to 5 km each time. Before setting off, an aardvark stops at its den opening to look for enemies, runs out, jumps around repeatedly, looks about, and then trots off.

Its retinas contain only rods, which allow it to see at night but leave it colorblind. Its ears can move independently and fold shut while it tunnels.

If a predator turns up, it tries to dig a hole to hide in. Failing that, it stands up on its hind legs and tail, or lies on its back, and defends itself with its large front claws. Lions, hyenas and leopards are known to kill aardvarks.

Landlord of the savanna

Aardvarks live across sub-Saharan Africa, except the West and Central rain forest regions. Their burrows can have eight or more entrances and reach as much as 6 meters underground. Hyenas, warthogs, squirrels, hedgehogs, mongooses and bats, as well as birds and reptiles, use the holes.

Many animal species depend on those burrows for refuge. In the Kalahari, after a hot, dry summer, five of six aardvarks fitted with implanted loggers and 11 others at the site died. Their body temperatures fell as low as 25°C before death, likely due to starvation, and their activity shifted from night to day. The IUCN Red List rates the species Least Concern.