Aardwolf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids AardwolfTemporal range: Pleistocene – Recent
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| An aardwolf in Namib-Nord, Namibia | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
 |
|
| Aardwolf range |
The aardwolf (Proteles cristata) is a small, furry animal that looks a bit like a striped hyena. It lives in parts of East Africa and Southern Africa. Its name comes from the Afrikaans language and means "earth wolf." People sometimes call it the "maanhaar jackal" or "civet hyena."
Even though it's related to hyenas, the aardwolf is quite different. It doesn't hunt big animals or eat much meat. Instead, it loves to eat insects, especially termites! An aardwolf can eat around 250,000 termites in just one night. It uses its long, sticky tongue to slurp them up.
Contents
What is an Aardwolf?
The aardwolf is a type of mammal that mainly eats insects. This makes it an insectivore. It's part of the same animal family as hyenas, but it's much smaller and has a different diet. Aardwolves are usually about the size of a fox. They have a shaggy coat, a bushy tail, and stripes on their bodies.
Where Aardwolves Live
Aardwolves live in the scrublands of eastern and southern Africa. These areas are open lands with small trees and bushes. They need places where they can find lots of termites to eat.
When Aardwolves Are Active
Aardwolves are nocturnal. This means they sleep during the day and come out at night to find food. They rest in burrows, which are underground tunnels, to stay safe and cool.
Aardwolf Diet: Termite Munchers
The aardwolf's favorite food is termites. They don't dig into termite mounds like some other animals. Instead, they wait for the termites to come out at night. They use their excellent sense of hearing to find where the termites are.
How They Eat Termites
Once an aardwolf finds a group of termites, it uses its long, sticky tongue to quickly lick them up. They can eat thousands of termites in a short amount of time. This special way of eating helps them get enough food without needing to hunt bigger animals.
Aardwolf Family and Life
Aardwolves usually live alone or in small family groups. They are shy animals and try to avoid humans. They mark their territory using special smells from their anal glands. This helps them communicate with other aardwolves.
Aardwolf Pups
Female aardwolves give birth to a few pups at a time. The pups stay in the burrow until they are old enough to come out and learn how to find food with their parents. They learn to hunt termites and survive in the wild.
Images for kids
-
Detail of head – taken at the Cincinnati Zoo
-
Skeleton of an aardwolf displayed at Museum of Osteology
-
Aardwolf skull
-
Aardwolf at the San Antonio Zoo
-
Illustration of Proteles cristatus
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Lobo de tierra para niños
