The Aardwolf of Southern Africa

The aardwolf is one of the most fascinating animals in all of Africa. To the average set of eyes, an aardwolf would appear to be a hyena. They look just like a striped hyena only much smaller. While they can appear quite fierce, the aardwolf is far from it unlike their hyena brethren.

The aardwolf is primarily found in southern Africa but can also be found along the eastern part of the continent. They are nocturnal animals that will travel incredible distances in one day in search for food. An aardwolf will often travel up to six miles and consume hundreds of thousands of insects in one trip.

The favored food of the aardwolf is the harvester termite. These termites give off a horrible smell and the aardwolf is one of the few animals that can stand the toxic spray. They fight through the chemicals and eat the termites in huge numbers.

The aardwolf is about 3 feet long but weigh only about 25 pounds. This is in high contrast to the hyenas that are usually closer to 100 pounds. Still, the similarities are striking - an aardwolf has a mane that runs down their backs much like the spotted and striped hyenas that share their range. They also have a striped coat that is very similar.

Another big difference in the aardwolf and the hyenas is the teeth. The aardwolf has blunt, flat tiny teeth whereas the other hyenas have sharp teeth as well. The reason for this is because the aardwolf rarely eats anything other than insects. They will occasionally eat from a dead animal, but it is pretty specific to the insects. Grasshoppers, termites and maggots are the primary food sources for the aardwolf.

When an aardwolf is alarmed they react in a very disgusting way. They will emit a nasty smelling odor from their anus and raise the mane on their backs. Unlike the hyenas, they do not bare their teeth. The aardwolf is generally considered harmless given that they are not true carnivores. They are classified as insectivores.

Probably the biggest difference between the aardwolf and the hyenas is that they live in fairly solitary environments. They will sometimes live in pairs or in very small groups, but generally are alone in their travels. They live in burrows throughout the African plains and sometimes take over the burrows of other animals. An aardwolf will dig for their prey once they locate the termites underground with their large ears.

The aardwolf is truly one of the wonders of nature and should be left alone. They are not considered threatened at this time, but they are sometimes hunted illegally.

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Aardwolf