Aardvark
Long Tongues: Ever Wondered Why?
Background Information
Scientific name: Orycteropus afer
Head and Body: 43 to 53 in Tail: 21 to 26 in
Weight: 110 to 180 lbs
Interesting features: Rabbitlike ears, kangaroo tail, very long tongue
Habitat
It lives in the Africa below the Sahara Desert.
It prefers habitats where the digging is easier.
The aardvark's population is currently unknown.
Survival/Food
The aardvark eats termites, ants, and various plants.
It is an omnivore.
It gets its food by digging with its sharp claws into a termite mound and then sticks its wet, sticky tongue down the mound.
Lions, hyenas, and leopards are its natural predators, but humans also contribute.
Interesting Facts
1. Aardvarks are nocturnal.
2. Aardvark means "earth pig" in the South African language, Afrikaans.
2. Aardvark means "earth pig" in the South African language, Afrikaans.
3. Aardvarks look likes pigs from a distance.
4. They have rabbitlike ears and a kangaroos tail.
5. Aardvarks tongues can grow to 12 in. long!
Interesting Charachteristic
Aardvarks have very long tongues to eat termites from 5 ft tall termite hills.