Scientific classification: The aardvark makes up the order Tubulidentata. It is classified as Orycteropus afer.
What is an Aardvark?
The Aardvark is common name for a burrowing, ant-eating mammal. The aardvark is found throughout much of Africa, from the southern part of Egypt to the Cape of Good Hope, in habitats ranging from woodland, bush country, and savanna, to rain forest. A primarily nocturnal animal, the aardvark lives in burrows and feeds on ants and termites, occasionally eating other insects, the fat mouse, and a species of wild ground cucumber.What is an aardvark, Some experts claim that an aardvark can eat as many as 50,000 insects in a single night.
How does the Aardvark look like?
The aardvark is up to 2.3 m (7.5 ft) long, including the fleshy, tapering tail, which it uses to throw earth backward when it burrows. An adult aardvark can weigh 39 to 64 kg (85 to 140 lb). The animal has an arched back, a tubular snout, and large, upright ears. What is an aardvark, it uses its specialized, chisel-shaped claws to break open the hard clay of termite nests; then it uses its long tongue, which is coated with sticky saliva, to capture the insects in the nest. Unlike the animals known as anteaters, which are toothless, the aardvark has 20 cylindrical, rootless teeth that grow continually throughout its lifetime.
Where can the Aarvadark be found?
The aardvark lives in savannas and rain forests in Africa. It uses its powerful claws to break into ant and termite nests, where it feeds on the insects inside with its long, sticky tongue.
The aardvark, found in open grasslands, scrub, and woodland areas in nondesert regions of Africa south of the Sahara, is nocturnal and solitary in its habits. A keen sense of hearing and smell aided by powerful digging claws help the aardvark find and excavate ant and termite nests. what is an aardvark, the aardvark inserts its sticky tongue into the ant nest or termite mound and licks up the insects.
What is the lifespan of the Aarvdark?
After a gestation period of seven months, the female aardvark gives birth to one or occasionally two offspring, which can dig their own burrows at the age of six months. The lifespan of an aardvark in captivity is as long as 23 years. Although timid, the aardvark will fight when it cannot flee or burrow to safety; it defends itself with its powerful claws or by striking with its tail or shoulders.