User:Xxagile/AfricanAnimals/Aardvark

What does it look like?

An Aardvark

The Aardvark, also known as the anteater, is a medium sized mammal that has four legs and can be found in Africa. The aardvark is pale yellowish gray in color,and often stained reddish-brown by soil. The aardvark's coat is thin and the animal's main protection is its tough skin. It has very large ears and a long snout. It has a long tongue that can be up to 30 centimeters long, and they have long claws that they dig with. Aardvarks are known for being able to dig very fast, but they are slow otherwise.

Where does it live?

The Aardvark can be found in it's natural habitat in Africa. It lives in grasslands, bushland, savanna, and woodland. The Aardvark is nocturnal, meaning it comes out at night and sleeps during the day. They live by themselves most of the time until they have children. They are said to be shy animals. They dig burrows with their long claws and live there with their children. In captivity Aardvark's can live up to about 10 years. The age average age it lives to be in the wild is unknown.

An Aardvark with baby.

What does it eat?

An aardvark comes out from its burrow in the late afternoon or shortly after sunset, and moves over a large range of land, swinging its long nose from side to side to pick up the scent of food like ants and termights. The Aardvark is a very fast digger and when a large amount of ants or termites is detected, the aardvark digs into the dirt with its powerful front legs, keeping its long ears upright to listen for predators. When the aardvark is successful in finding food, the aardvark's long sticky tongue licks up the insects; the termites' biting, or the ants' stinging attacks are useless because of the Aardvark's tough skin. Its hearing warns it of predators: lions, leopards, hyenas, and pythons.

How do they defend themselves?

The Aardvark will try to run from it's predators but when all other things fail to work they will strike with their snout, tail, and claws.