Aardvarks

Aardvarks are nocturnal African mammals in the species Orycteropus afer, the sole living member of the order Tubulidentata. They are solitary diggers with stout bodies, a long snout, large ears, and powerful forelimbs.

They have a distinctive dentition: no incisors or canines; instead, hundreds of slender, tooth-like tubules form wide, conical tooth plates.

Their highly sensitive nose and long sticky tongue aid feeding on ants and termites. They can close their nostrils to keep out dust and dig efficiently.

Diet consists mainly of ants and termites; they locate mounds by smell, then excavate with claws and sweep insects into the mouth.

Reproduction is typically one cub per birth, after about seven months of gestation. The young ride with the mother in the burrow and nurse for several months.

The animal inhabits open forests, savannas, and grasslands across sub-Saharan Africa, where it digs extensive burrows used by other species.

Conservation status is Least Concern; threats include habitat loss and hunting in some regions.

Evolution: Aardvarks are the only surviving Tubulidentata lineage; their fossil record traces back to Paleogene Africa.