Aardvark

aardvark, (Orycteropus afer), also called antbear, stocky African mammal found south of the Sahara Desert in savanna and semiarid areas. The name aardvark—Afrikaans for “earth pig”—refers to its piglike face and burrowing habits. The aardvark weighs up to 65 kg (145 pounds) and measures up to 2.2 metres (7.2 feet) long, including the heavy, 70-cm (28-inch) tail. The face is narrow with an elongated snout, very reduced eyes, and ears up to 24 cm (9.5 inches) long. The aardvark’s coat is scant and yellowish gray; the face and tail tip may be whitish. The four toes on the front foot (five on the hind feet) are equipped with strong, flattened nail-like “hooves” resembling spades.

aardvark

The aardvark excavates branching burrows, usually 2–3 metres long but sometimes up to 13 metres, with several sleeping chambers. It abandons old burrows and digs new ones frequently, which thereby provides dens used by other species such as the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus). The aardvark’s diet consists almost entirely of ants and termites. At night it travels 10–30 km (6–19 miles), ambling along familiar paths in a zigzag fashion, pausing frequently to sniff and press its snout against the soil. Fleshy sensory organs on the nasal septum probably detect tiny underground movements. With its strong claws the aardvark can rapidly open a cement-hard termite mound. The nostrils are squeezed shut to keep out flying dust. The sticky tongue, extending to 30 cm (nearly 12 inches) from the small mouth, is then used to lap up the insects. A thick hide protects the aardvark from insect bites and stings. If threatened while away from a sheltering burrow, an aardvark can dig its way out of sight in five minutes. An acute sense of hearing protects it from being surprised by predators, which include pythons, lions, leopards, and hyenas. If a predator tries to dig it out of its burrow, the aardvark rapidly moves soil to block the tunnel behind itself. When attacked it slashes with its formidable front claws.

The sexes associate only during breeding periods. After a gestation of seven months, one young weighing about 2 kg is born during the rainy season. At birth the claws are already well developed. The young stays in the den for two weeks, then follows its mother. By 14 weeks it eats termites, and by 16 weeks it is weaned. It can dig its own burrow by six months of age and will leave its mother before it is one year old. Sexual maturity is attained at two years. Longevity is at least 24 years in zoos. Aardvarks indirectly benefit humans in areas where termites would otherwise damage crops. Owing mainly to their nocturnal habits, little is known about aardvark population status, but they are not endangered.

The aardvark is the only species in the family Orycteropodidae and the only living member of order Tubulidentata (“tube teeth”). The ordinal name refers to the tiny columnlike tubules of dentine that are fused together to constitute each molar; adults lack canine teeth and incisors. Although aardvarks look like anteaters, they are actually related to elephants (order Proboscidea), hyraxes (order Hyracoidea), and dugongs and manatees (order Sirenia); all belong to a group of primitive ungulates called uranotherians. The split between this ancestral African stock and that leading to the ungulate, carnivore, xenarthran, and cetacean orders occurred as much as 90 million years ago. Fossils indicate that Tubulidentata was recognizable about 54 million years ago.