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African Aardvark: They belong to the Same Group of Mammals as the African Elephant and have no relation to anteaters despite their similar appearance. They have a short neck connected to a strong, large, almost hairless body with an arched back.
Their legs are not proportional to each other; the hind legs are longer than the front ones. They have an elongated head, with a long, protruding, narrow snout and nostrils that can be sealed. Their ears are long and tubular and are normally held upright but can be folded and closed.
This animal has a body like a pig, ears like a Rabbit, and it licks up ants like an Anteater, but it is not related to any of these animals! It is a very good burrower, digging long tunnels with its claws.
This monospecific order comprises only the long-eared, long-snouted aardvark. Unlike most other mammals, its teeth lack an outer coating of enamel and are covered instead with cementum, the same tissue that coats tooth roots.
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION OF AFRICAN AARDVARK.
| SIDE A | SIDE B |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Tubulidentata |
| Family: | Orycteropodidae |
| Genus: | Orycteropus |
| Species: | O. afer |
| Diet: | Insectivorous, Myrmecophagous. |
| Gestation: | Average 7 Months |
| Habitat: | All Savanna Types, Rainforests, Woodlands, and Thickets. |
The Scientific name of African Aardvark is Orycteropus Afer.
WEIGHT.
- 39 TO 82 KILOGRAMS (88 TO 181 POUNDS).
SIZE
- 1 TO 1.5 METERS IN LENGTH (3 TO 5 FEET) .6 METERS AT THE SHOULDER (24 INCHES).
LIFE SPAN
- 18 TO 23 YEARS IN THE WILD.
PREDATORS
- HUMANS, LIONS, LEOPARDS, HYENAS, PYTHONS.
Challenges Facing African Aardvark.
1. Habitat loss is also a threat to Aardvarks.
As human populations grow, logging, agriculture, roads, and settlements destroy their habitats.
2. Aardvarks are hunted by humans.
Many African tribes hunt this animal for its meat and sometimes use its body parts as charms the teeth are believed to prevent illnesses. Other animals, like lions, hyenas, and leopards are its Natural Predators in the wild.
Solutions to the Challenges.
Different solutions to ensuring the aardvarks’ continued existence:
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Educate the Public.
We work to provide awareness of the lack of any medicinal or magical properties of this species.
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Work with communities.
AWF engages communities living near aardvark habitats to create sustainable solutions for agricultural and settlement growth by providing incentives and training on best practices.
Behaviors of African Aardvark’s.
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They are Picky Eaters
This species is specialized for eating termites. They move from one termite mound to another, dismantling the hills with their powerful claws. Insects are trapped by their long protractile tongue (as long as 30 centimeters), which is covered with thick, sticky saliva.
Their impeccable sense of smell allows them to catch termites outside of the mounds. Sometimes they will press their snout against an opening in a mound and suck up the termites.
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Aardvarks are a Little Anti-Social – and even Inhospitable.
They are mostly solitary mammals and only come together for mating. Even though they are nocturnal, they sometimes come out during the day to sun themselves. Since their eyesight is limited the aardvark is always cautious when leaving their burrow to forage for termites.
When leaving their burrow, they will stand at the entrance, motionless, for several minutes and continue forward with numerous powerful leaps until there are no sounds or threats.
That’s it for Today’s Post. Let me Know in the Comment Section Down Below. What is your Thought About African Aardvark. Also Known as Orycteropus Afer.
