Aardvarks

Spiecies: The antbear is also known as the African Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)

Identification: Antbears are unique amongst Africas mamals. They have a superficial resemblance to pigs, with a long mussel and ears and pale yelloish grey sparcly haired bodies. But here any resemblance ends. In profile the body is arched and the highest point ist the lower back as the back legs are much larger and heavierer than the front legs. The antbear has a thisk tapering tail and heavy powerful legs with large claws adapted for digging

Habitat: The antbear prefers woodland, scrub an grassland especially with sandy soils. They avoid areas prone to flooding. They are not common but do live over a wide area in the whole of Africa.

Habits: Solitary and almost entirely nocturnal, antbears seldom move about before 9pm. During the night they can cover several miles while foraging for food. When foraging they move slowly with their noses close to the ground snuffling out prey. They have poor eyesight but have excellent sense of smell and acute hearing. They can run off with surprising speed if disturbed. Antbears dig shallow tempery burrows that may be used for one or two nights but they also have more permanent and extensive burrows with numerous chambers. These burrows are scattered around their territories which are around 5 sq km in size. Old burrows are important homes and breading dens for many other animals

Diet: The antbear's diet of mainly ants and termites is located by smelling out their nests. It then digs up the nest and laps them up with its sticky tongue

Breeding: A single youngster is born during the winter months of about may to August. Blind and hairless at birth the young antbear is born in a maternity den where it remains alone the female returning from time to time to nurse it. After two to three months the youngster may accompany the mother on her nightly forages and at six months old the youngster can dig for itself. It is not known how long the youngster stays with the mother but they are not fully mature until two years old.