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What the sources say

AardvarkOrycteropus afer

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Aardvark profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 40 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

Profile updated

Source
01

Taylor & Lehmann 2015

Taylor & Lehmann (2015). Orycteropus afer. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T41504A21286437.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: stats.conservationStatus
The page saysThe IUCN Red List rates the species Least Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).

Source
02

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Orycteropus afer (aardvark). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysA night-shift digger with spade-like claws and a sticky tongue, built to mine ant and termite nests.
The source sayseach ending in a spade-like claw that helps them to dig with great speed and forceNote: tagline; sticky tongue and ants and termites are claimed below
The page saysGrassland and savanna across sub-Saharan Africa, except the West and Central rain forests
The source saysAardvarks are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, except for the West and Central rain forest regions. ... Aardvarks occupy grassland and savanna habitats in sub-Saharan AfricaNote: stats.habitat
The page saysAnts and termites, mostly ants
The source saysthey specialize on ants and termites, with the majority of their diet being antsNote: stats.diet
The page saysSpade-like claws that dig with great speed and force
The source sayseach ending in a spade-like claw that helps them to dig with great speed and forceNote: stats.superpower
The page saysIts job is simple: dig up ants and termites
The source saysthey specialize on ants and termites, with the majority of their diet being ants
The page saysEach toe ends in a spade-like claw that helps it dig with great speed and force
The source saysAardvarks have 4 toes on the forefeet and 5 toes on the hind feet, each ending in a spade-like claw that helps them to dig with great speed and force.
The page saysIts long, sticky tongue sweeps the insects into a small mouth
The source saysThe ants and termites are swept into their small mouth with their long, sticky tongue.
The page saysit swallows with little or no chewing
The source saysAardvarks swallow without chewing their food, or after chewing their food very little.
The page saysAardvarks have peg-like back teeth and no incisors or canines
The source saysAardvarks have peg-like molars and premolars, but no incisors or canines
The page saysTheir teeth lack enamel, the hard outer coating on a tooth, and are made of densely packed tubules instead
The source saysTheir teeth lack enamel and are made up of densely packed tubulesNote: the gloss on enamel is a definition, not a claim about the aardvark
The page saysIt is the size of a small pig, with very thick skin
The source saysAardvarks are the size of small pigs, but have very thick skin
The page saysAardvarks forage at night, covering 2 to 5 km each time
The source saysAardvarks forage at night, covering distances of 2 to 5 km each night.
The page saysBefore setting off, an aardvark stops at its den opening to look for enemies, runs out, jumps around repeatedly, looks about, and then trots off
The source saysThey first stop at the den opening to look for enemies, then run out, jump repeatedly, look around, and jump around more, before finally trotting off to forage.
The page saysIts retinas contain only rods, which allow it to see at night but leave it colorblind
The source saysAardvarks have poor vision because their retinas contain only rods, which allow them to see at night, but leave them colorblind.
The page saysIts ears can move independently and fold shut while it tunnels
The source sayslong ears that can be moved independently, as well as folded back and closed while tunneling
The page saysIf a predator turns up, it tries to dig a hole to hide in
The source saysIf confronted by a predator, an aardvark will attempt to dig a hole in which to hide
The page saysFailing that, it stands up on its hind legs and tail, or lies on its back, and defends itself with its large front claws
The source saysIf it cannot dig a hole, it will stand upright on its hind legs and tail, or lay on its back, and defend itself with its large front claws.
The page saysLions, hyenas and leopards are known to kill aardvarks
The source saysbut lions, hyenas, and leopards are also known to kill them.
The page saysAardvarks live across sub-Saharan Africa, except the West and Central rain forest regions
The source saysAardvarks are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, except for the West and Central rain forest regions.
The page saysTheir burrows can have eight or more entrances and reach as much as 6 meters underground
The source sayscomplex and intricate burrows, which can have eight or more entrances and extend as much as 6 meters underground
The page saysHyenas, warthogs, squirrels, hedgehogs, mongooses and bats, as well as birds and reptiles, use the holes
The source saysthe holes they dig are used by a variety of other animals for shelter. These include hyenas, warthogs, squirrels, hedgehogs, mongooses, and bats, as well as birds and reptiles.
The page saysAn aardvark's teeth have no enamel and are made of densely packed tubules instead
The source saysTheir teeth lack enamel and are made up of densely packed tubulesNote: vibe.reason animal clause, same source as the body claim "Their teeth lack enamel, the hard outer coating on a tooth, "

Source
03

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15, Human Ageing Genomic Resources

AnAge entry for Orycteropus afer. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

The page saysA lifespan database records one captive aardvark that lived 29.8 years
The source saysMaximum longevity 29.8 years (captivity)
The page saysThat is one captive animal, not a wild average
The source saysOne captive specimen lived for 29.8 years
The page saysOne young per litter, and a gestation of about 225 days
The source saysGestation 225 days ... Litter size 1 (viviparous)
The page saysA newborn weighs around 1,800 g
The source saysWeight at birth 1,800 g
The page saysa female reaches sexual maturity at about 730 days
The source saysFemale sexual maturity 730 days

Source
04

Taylor, Lindsey & Skinner 2002

Taylor, Lindsey & Skinner (2002). The feeding ecology of the aardvark Orycteropus afer. Journal of Arid Environments.

The page saysIn 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
The source saysThirteen aardvarks (Orycteropus afer) were radio tagged at Tussen die Riviere Nature Reserve in the Nama Karoo between 1996 and 1998. Faecal contents were analysed and four habituated aardvarks closely followed to investigate feeding ecology. The diet of the aardvark consisted entirely of ants and termites, with ants predominating in all seasons and years.
The page saysIn a Karoo study, the ant Anoplolepis custodiens was the main prey in every month, with the termite Trinervitermes trinervoides next
The source saysAnoplolepis custodiens was the most important prey species in all months, followed by Trinervitermes trinervoides.
The page saysTermites were eaten more often in winter than summer, when ant numbers were generally reduced
The source saysTermites were fed on more often in winter than summer at a time when ant numbers were generally reduced

Source
05

Legendre & Botha-Brink 2018

Legendre & Botha-Brink (2018). Digging the compromise: investigating the link between limb bone histology and fossoriality in the aardvark (Orycteropus afer). PeerJ.

The page saysThe aardvark is the largest living burrowing mammal, at about 1.4 to 2.2 m in total length and 40 to 100 kg
The source saysThe largest extant fossorial mammal is the aardvark, Orycteropus afer ( Pallas, 1766 ), with a total body size ranging from 1.4 to 2.2 m, and a body mass from 40 to 100 kg

Source
06

Weyer et al. 2020

Weyer et al. (2020). Increased Diurnal Activity Is Indicative of Energy Deficit in a Nocturnal Mammal, the Aardvark. Frontiers in Physiology.

The page saysAardvarks caught for a Kalahari study averaged 35 kg
The source saysAardvark body mass during capture averaged 35 kg (range 26.5–43.0 kg).
The page saysAardvarks caught for a Kalahari study
The source saysdata loggers into 12 adult aardvarks and observed them for varying durations over 3 years in the KalahariNote: study site of the 35 kg average
The page saysMany animal species depend on those burrows for refuge
The source saysthe many animal species dependent on aardvark burrows for refuge

Source
07

Rey et al. 2017

Rey et al. (2017). Drought-induced starvation of aardvarks in the Kalahari: an indirect effect of climate change. Biology Letters.

The page saysIn the Kalahari, after a hot, dry summer, five of six aardvarks fitted with implanted loggers and 11 others at the site died
The source sayswe implanted biologgers into six adult aardvarks resident in the semi-arid Kalahari. Following a particularly dry and hot summer, five of the study aardvarks and 11 other aardvarks at the study site died.
The page saysTheir body temperatures fell as low as 25°C before death, likely due to starvation, and their activity shifted from night to day
The source saysdeclining troughs in the nychthemeral rhythm of body temperature reaching as low as 25°C before death, likely due to starvation. Activity patterns shifted from the normal nocturnal to a diurnal mode.

Source
08

Arnason, Gullberg & Janke 1999

Arnason, Gullberg & Janke (1999). The mitochondrial DNA molecule of the aardvark, Orycteropus afer, and the position of the Tubulidentata in the eutherian tree. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences.

The page saysis the only living species of its whole order, Tubulidentata
The source saysthe aardvark (Orycteropus afer), the only living species of the order Tubulidentata

Source
09

Endo et al. 2003

Endo et al. (2003). Three-dimensional CT image analysis of the digging system in the aardvark. Annals of Anatomy - Anatomischer Anzeiger.

The page saysCT scans of its paws led researchers to suggest that the two inner front toes crush the soil as they curl in, while the two outer toes sweep the loosened earth away
The source saysWe suggest that the medial two digits in the forepaw directly contribute to the crushing, when these proximal phalanges crook in the phase of power stroke. In contrast the lateral third and fourth digits may act as sweeper of the crushed soil.

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.