The aardwolf, part of the hyena family, is quite different from other hyenas. Weighing only between 8 and 14 pounds, it is a lot smaller. It does not eat meat, but termites – up to 300,000 a night! Found in southern and northeastern Africa, the aardwolf is solitary and less aggressive than its carnivorous relatives. Unlike the spotted, brown and striped hyenas, it has a slender build with distinctive vertical stripes. Despite physical similarities, it exhibits a more solitary and less aggressive behavior. Controlling termite populations, the aardwolf showcases the diversity within the hyena family.
The hyena is a carnivorous African and Asian mammal. The spotted hyena is the largest, weighing 88 to 190 lbs. Brown hyenas weigh 75 to 160 lbs. Striped hyenas and aardwolves are smaller. Striped hyenas weigh 57 to 90 lbs. Aardwolves are exceptionally light at 17 to 30 lbs. Male hyenas typically weigh more than females.
Socially, the aardwolf is monogamous. An aardwolf pair defends its territory. Males play an active role protecting cubs in their underground den during early spring. While the female is foraging at night, the male cares for the cubs, unable to eat.
Despite similarities, aardwolves and hyenas are unique creatures that generate myths. Although hyenas bear a resemblance to dogs, they are not canines. With their bizarre appearance and varied diet, hyenas are often considered less noble than lions or cheetahs. However, they play important roles in their ecosystems.
Is a aardwolf a predator?
The Aardwolf resides in East and Southern Africa. It is a medium-sized, insect-eating mammal. Despite its name, it is not a wolf but a hyena. It has vertical stripes on its fur.
Aardwolves live only in Africa. There are two populations – one in Southern Africa and one in East Africa. Unlike other hyenas, Aardwolves eat insects.
Aardwolves have golden fur with black stripes. They resemble small striped foxes with mohawks. They are the smallest, most delicate hyena species. The largest aardwolf weighs about 22 pounds. What is unusual about the Aardwolf is its diet. Unlike most carnivores, it rarely eats meat. Like an aardvark, it eats insects.
Aardwolves have sharp teeth they use for defense. But they rely on their long, sticky tongues and cheek teeth to feed. These nocturnal creatures forage alone. They can lap up over 200,000 termites every night.
When threatened, the Aardwolf tries to confuse predators by doubling back on its tracks. It also excretes a foul liquid from its anal glands.
Aardwolf predators are lions, leopards, snakes, larger hyenas, and humans. In some places they are endangered due to hunting. Humans hunt them for meat and skin. When attacked by dogs or leopards, Aardwolves emit a musky fluid from their anal glands, similar to a skunk.
What is the difference between an aardvark and an aardwolf?
An aardvark is a nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing mammal native to Africa. An aardwolf is a nocturnal, insectivorous mammal native to southern and eastern Africa.
Aardvarks live in burrows. They can dig quickly and will sometimes dig a burrow to escape a predator. Their solitary and nocturnal nature makes them hard to spot on an African safari.
The aardwolf is also called the “earth wolf.” Although it is in the order Carnivora, it eats termites and larvae.
Anteaters have long fur and small ears while aardvarks have short fur and long ears. The aardvark’s scientific name is Orycteropus afer.
Armadillos have a leathery armor shell and are native to the Americas. The aardvark is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa.
The shy five animals of Africa are the aardvark, aardwolf, bat-eared fox, meerkat, and porcupine. They are hard to spot since most are nocturnal. The aardwolf, bat-eared fox, deer, giant pandas and other shy animals tend to avoid humans.
Anteaters live above ground in moist areas while aardvarks live underground. Anteaters hunt during the day, and aardvarks hunt at night.
Aardvarks have rough, gray fur. Anteaters have smooth, brown fur. Aardvarks live in open grasslands in Africa. Anteaters live in Central and South American rainforests.
Is a aardwolf a mammal?
The aardwolf is a medium-sized carnivorous mammal that belongs to the hyena family. While the hyena ancestry is quite obvious, it has enough distinctive traits that identification shouldn’t be too difficult. What does an aardwolf eat? Aardwolves feed almost exclusively on termites and other insects. Where is an aardwolf found? They are very common in savannas and grasslands across parts of eastern and southern Africa.
The aardwolf hides in a burrow during the day and comes out at night to search for food. While related to the hyenas, unlike its relatives, the aardwolf does not hunt large prey. This unusual animal is a mass killer-of insects. It feeds mainly on termites and can eat more than 300,000 in a single night, using its long, sticky tongue to collect them.
Aardwolf is a name derived from Afrikaans meaning “earth wolf”. The aardwolf is a mammal of the hyena family though smaller than the hyena. IUCN categorizes the aardwolf as a least concern species due to its relatively stable population.
The aardwolf have poorly developed molars and a restricted diet. Physical Description. The aardwolf is a small animal that closely resembles the striped hyena with its yellowish-brown coat covered in black vertical stripes and a black colored mane running from the neck to the back.
Aardwolf, (Proteles cristatus), insectivorous carnivore that resembles a small striped hyena. The shy, mainly nocturnal aardwolf lives on the arid plains of Africa. There are two geographically separate populations, one centred in South Africa and the other in East Africa.
Although aardwolves forage alone, they live in breeding pairs that defend a territory marked by secretions from the anal glands. When attacked they may fight, and a musky-smelling fluid is emitted.
Cubs are weaned by four months and have left their parents’ territory by the time the next litter is born.
Aardwolf is a mammal that belongs to the family of hyenas. There are two subspecies of aardwolf that can be found in southern and eastern parts of Africa. Aardwolf inhabits open plains with enough rainfalls and sources of food. It avoids forested areas.
The aardwolf is an intriguing member of the Hyaenidae family and has been largely overlooked by many. This nocturnal mammal is native to Africa and can be found in dry regions such as savannahs, grasslands, and shrublands. Characterized by its striped coat and slender frame, the aardwolf lives mainly on a diet of termites, although it will also consume other insects such as larvae and spiders.