From Wiki 5A
The Aardvark is also know as a "ant bear" is a medium-sized mammal native to country of Africa. Early settlers from Europe thought the Aardvark resembled a pig. The Aardvark, however, isn't even closely related to pigs. The Aardvark is born with canines and conventional incisors at the front of the jaw, which will eventually fall out and will not replaced. Adult Aardvarks will only have molars at the back of the jaw. The Aardvark is considered as a living fossil. The Aardvark looks a lot like a pig. The Aardvark’s is sparsely covered with coarse hairs and body is stout with an arched back. The front feet have don't have a pollex or "thumb" resulting in four toes but the back feet have all of the five toes. Each toe has a large, nail which is somewhat flattened and almost shovel-like, and it appears to be intermediate between a claw and the hoof. The ears are excessively long, and the tail is very thick at the base and gradually gets tapered. The greatly stretched out head is on a short, thick neck. The mouth is small and tubular, typical feeds on termites. It has a long, thin, protruding tongue and complicated structures supporting a keen sense of smell. An aardvark's weight is usually between 40 and 65 kg. It's length is usually between 1 and 1.3 meters, and can reach lengths of 2.2 meters when its tail which can be up to 70 centimeters is counted. The aardvark is pale, yellowish gray color and often stained reddish-brown by the soil. It's coat is thin and the aardvark primary protection is by its tough skin. The aardvark has been known to sleep in a excavated ant nest, which will also serves as protection. The aardvark is nocturnal and is a solitary creature that feeds almost always on ants and termites; the only fruit eaten by the aardvark is the aardvark cucumber. An aardvark emerges from the animal's burrow in shortly after sunset or late afternoon, and forages over a considerable home range surrounding 10 to 30 kilometers, swinging its long nose from side to side to pick up the scent of the food. When a concentration of termites or ants is detected, the Aardvark digs into the anthill with its very powerful front legs, keeping its long ears upright to listen for any predators that might come, and takes up an amazing number of insects with its long, very sticky tongue. It may eat as many as 50,000 ants in one night. The aardvark is an excellently fast digger, but otherwise moves fairly slow. The aardvark’s claws enable it to dig through the very hard crust of an ant or termite mound quickly, avoiding the dust by sealing the nostrils. When successful, the aardvark's long which can get as long as 30 centimeters, the tongue licks up the many insects; the termite’s stinging attacks are fended by its very tough skin. The aardvark has keen hearing which warns it of it predators. Which includes leopards, lions, hyenas, and pythons. Aside from digging out many ants and termites, the aardvark will also excavates burrows in which to live in: sites are scattered around the home range, and a main burrow is used for breeding. Main burrows will be deep and extensive. The main burrows have several entrances and can be up to 13 meters long. Its changes the layout of its home burrow a lot, and from time to time it moves on and makes a new home; the old burrows are then inhabited by smaller animals. Only mothers and young share the burrows. If attacked in the tunnel, it will seal the tunnel off with itself or turn around and attack the attacker with its claws. Aardvarks only pair up during the breeding season. After a period of 7 months, a single cub weighing about 2 kg when it is born, and is able to leave the burrow to accompany its mother to get food after only two weeks. When eating termites at 14 weeks it is then weaned at the age of 16 weeks. At six months, the aardvark is able to dig its own home, but it will often remain with it's mother until the next mating season. Aardvarks can live to be over twenty-four years old in captivity. The aardvark's main predators are lions, leopards, hunting dogs and pythons. Aardvarks run in zigzag fashion or can dig fast, to lose their enemies, but if that fails, they will strike back with their tail, claws, and shoulders, and sometimes flipping onto their backs to lash out with all four legs. The thick skin also protects them to some extent. Aardvarks live in Sub-Saharan Africa or where there is suitable habitat to live, such as woodlands, grasslands, and bush land, and where food is available.
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