Aardvarks: Order Tubulidentata

The aardvark (Oryceteropus afer) is the only living species in the order Tubulidentata. While is superficially looks a bit like a mix between an anteater and a pig, it is related to neither. It is native to the subsaharan regions on africa. In this region it is somtimes refered to as the antbear or the anteater.  The name aardvark comes from the Afrikaans/Dutch that means "earth pig" or "ground pig."

Nocturnal by Nature

Aardvarks are nocturanl animals that feed on ants and termites in the dark of the night. Studies have shown that aardvarks emerge in the late afternoon or shortly after sunset traveling alone between 10 and 30 km to find food. The aardvarks swings its nose from side to side in search for food. After finding a concentration of ants or termites they will dig into the nest with their strong front legs. The aardvark can eat as many as 50,000 ants in a night.