Most people only know the aardvark from crossword puzzles. The real animal is far more interesting. This nocturnal mammal spends its nights wandering the African savanna, using a long sticky tongue to vacuum up ants and termites by the thousands.
The name comes from Afrikaans and means “earth pig,” which makes sense once you see one. It has a pig-like snout, large rabbit-like ears, and a thick tail that looks almost kangaroo-like. Despite the appearance, the aardvark is not closely related to pigs, rabbits, or kangaroos. It belongs to its own order, Tubulidentata, and is the only living species in that group.
What does an aardvark look like?
An adult aardvark typically weighs between 40 and 65 kilograms and measures about 1 to 1.5 meters from nose to tail tip. Its skin is thick and tough, with sparse coarse hair. The snout is long and flexible, ending in a pig-like nose that can close completely when the animal digs. Its claws are powerful and adapted for tearing into hard termite mounds.
Diet and hunting behavior
Aardvarks are specialized insectivores. A single animal can eat tens of thousands of ants and termites in one night. It digs into mounds or follows trails, then extends its tongue—which can reach 30 centimeters—to collect prey. The tongue is covered in sticky saliva. Aardvarks also occasionally eat the soft-bodied larvae found inside the mounds.
Habitat and range
They live across sub-Saharan Africa in grasslands, savannas, and open woodlands where termite mounds are common. They avoid dense forests and true deserts. During the day they rest in burrows, which they dig themselves. These burrows can be several meters long and are sometimes used by other animals after the aardvark abandons them.
Conservation status
The aardvark is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Populations appear stable in many areas, though habitat loss and roadkill affect them in places with expanding agriculture and roads.
If you ever get the chance to see one in the wild, it will almost certainly be after dark. They are shy, solitary, and built for a life spent mostly underground or under cover of night.
