Mary Allen
Aardvarks are mammals that have followed their own lineage for many millions of years. They display some unique characteristics, such as the special structure of their molars. Therefore, biologists have divided them into their own order: the “pipe teeth”. Many people think that aardvarks are related to tapirs or anteaters, but this is not the case. Aardvarks are the only living species of this order and have no close family.
Special behavior
Aardvarks have strong front legs with powerful claws. This allows them to dig surprisingly quickly, even in hard, dry soil. In their territory, they dig a series of underground burrows, in which they take shelter during the day. Other animals, such as warthogs, use abandoned aardvark burrows as hiding places.
Did you know this about aardvarks?
The only vegetarian food that aardvarks eat in Africa is ardvark-cucumber (Cucumis humifructus). They probably eat these fruits because of the liquid they contain and thus to quench their thirst. Aardvarks are important seed dispersers of these plants.
In the early evening, an aardvark almost always breaks into a termite mound from the western side. The termites sit closer to the surface on that side where the warm evening sun shines longest. This is the best way for the aardvarks to reach them.
About reproduction
The gestation period of aardvarks is quite long, and yet a newborn aardvark is relatively small and helpless. The young remains alone in the underground burrow for the first few weeks while the mother searches for food. However, it grows rapidly and is weaned after as little as four months.
One with nature
Aardvarks specialize in eating ants and termites. With the help of their excellent sense of smell, these animals are able to track down ant nests and termite mounds at night. Aardvarks have a very long tongues that they can stick out about 30 cm. They quickly lick up insects with it. Aardvarks can be found in both rainforests and savannahs in Africa. Ants and termites abound in both habitats!
Threat and protection
The range of aardvarks is large and they have hardly any natural enemies. Even humans do not hunt this species intensively. Fortunately, aardvarks are not threatened with extinction. Not much is known about behavior in the wild, as few field studies have been conducted to date. Although aardvarks are not uncommon, it is very difficult to see an aardvark in the wild.
The Aardvarks in the Bush
Burgers’ Zoo manages the European breeding program for this special species. Burgers’ Zoo is the only zoo in the Netherlands where you can see aardvarks. They live in an enclosure in the Burger’ Bush, which can be divided into two parts, e.g. if a female throws a young animal and wants peace.
Most visitors find these animals sleeping, as aardvarks are primarily nocturnal. But they are happy to get up for their food, which the keepers offer twice a day! Of course, Burgers’ Zoo cannot offer tens of thousands of termites every day. In zoos, aardvarks are therefore given a substitute food that has the same nutrients as the natural food. At Burgers’ Zoo, they get a porridge made from ground beef, mealworms, soaked dog food, and some fruit.
Although aardvarks mostly live alone in nature, they are very social in Burgers’ Bush. They almost always choose the same sleeping place and then lie close together.
Aardvarks are friendly animals. The animal caretakers can safely enter the aardvark enclosure. They can also be touched without any problems. This can help if, for example, a newborn needs to be placed on the mother’s teat. In such a case, the mother does not need to be anesthetized. Blood samples for genetic research were also recently taken from the aardvarks using assassin bugs, which bleed a small amount of blood from the animals. Such a small veterinary intervention is stress-free if these animals are used to the contact with the keepers.
What did the aardvark say to the taxi driver?
This joke makes a play on the way aardvark spells and sounds by comparing it to “park.
Are there any aardvarks in American zoos?
Winsol is the first healthy aardvark born at the zoo since 1994. There aren’t many aardvarks in captivity in the United States, about 37 in 19 zoos – 16 males and 21 females, according to Dulaney.
What do aardvarks eat?
The nocturnal animals use their long noses and keen sense of smell to sniff out ants and termites, which they lap up with an anteater-like tongue covered in sticky saliva. These insects make up most of the aardvark’s diet, although they’ll occasionally eat beetle larvae.
What does aardvark mean?
A nocturnal badger-sized burrowing mammal of Africa, with long ears, a tubular snout, and a long extensible tongue, feeding on ants and termites.
Where do aardvarks live?
The aardvark is endemic to Africa, where it is distributed across the sub-Saharan continent.
How many termites do aardvarks eat per day?
The average Aardvark has been known to eat roughly 40 to 50 thousand ants or termites in a single evening.
What animals eat aardvarks?
Aardvarks are hunted by humans. Other animals, like lions, hyenas, and leopards are its natural predators in the wild.
Do aardvarks have backbones?
Aardvarks are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Tubulidentata, family Orycteropodidae.
Are aardvarks the same as anteaters?
Anteaters and aardvarks are similar-looking animals that are actually different species.
How old is Arthur the aardvark?
Arthur Timothy Read is the titular protagonist of both the book series and the PBS children’s television series Arthur, created by Marc Brown. In the series, he is an 8-year-old anthropomorphic aardvark in Mr. Ratburn’s third-grade class and lives in the fictional city of Elwood City.
What is special about aardvarks?
Outwardly striking are the strong body of the aardvark with arched back and muscular legs as well as the tubular elongated snout and the fleshy tail. The range of the species includes the entire sub-Saharan Africa. The animals inhabit open and closed landscapes.
What can an aardvark do?
Aardvarks live in open landscapes and dig large burrows and burrows. They come out at night to forage for ants and termites. With its strong claws, the aardvark rips open the concrete-hard termite burrows and licks up the insects with its long, sticky tongue.
How do aardvarks live?
The habitat of the recent aardvark is savannah and open bushland. It is absent in dense forests and in deserts. Aardvarks live in open landscapes and dig large burrows and burrows. They come out at night to forage for ants and termites.
How big can an aardvark get?
Mass: 40 – 65 kg (Adult)
Length: 100 – 130 cm (Adult, Without Tail)
How long is an aardvark’s tongue?
Toady tongue: The tongue is about 30 centimeters long and slimy – ideal for licking insects out of their burrows and tunnels. Hare’s Ear: The eavesdroppers are always upright when looking for food. In this way, the animal notices danger from predators in good time.