Aardvark

Behavior and diet

The aardvark is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Its appearance is somewhat similar to that of a swine, and its name means ‘earth pig’ in Afrikaans. Physically, it is rather fat with a curved back. It is covered with abrasive hairs and its legs are fairly long. The aardvark is a nocturnal animal that feeds on its favorite food—termites—at night. It digs in the earth with its large, spade-like claws, to unearth termites and ants. It then uses its long, sticky tongue to extract the insects and larvae. The gestation period for female aardvarks is around seven months, with an average of one cub being born at a time.