The aardwolf (Proteles cristata) is a small, hyena-like member of the hyena family that, unlike its relatives, is a termite eater, able to eat 200 000 to 300 000 termites in one night. It is a solitary, nocturnal forager with a brownish-yellow, black-striped coat and a bushy, black-tipped tail, and although it is rare, it has been spotted in the Kruger National Park.
Name
Aardwolf [Proteles cristata]
The name aardwolf is an Afrikaans word and translates to ‘Earth Wolf’ in English and gets its name from its dog-like appearance. Unlike the name, an aardwolf doesn’t eat meat but instead digs for termites and other insects.
Appearance
The aardwolf is a small animal, standing about 40 – 50 cm from the shoulder and is between 65 and 80cm long from nose to the base of the tail, with the tail being about 20 – 30cm long. It has a brownish-yellow coat with many black stripes with a bushy black-tipped tail. The aardwolf has coarse darker hair on its back that raises when it gets threatened. The aardwolf resembles a small hyena-like animal and weighs about 10kg.
Diet
The aardwolf is unlike the other members of the hyena family in the fact that it does not eat meat, it is a termite eater. It is so well adapted at eating and catching termites that all teeth but the canines have devolved to pegs, making it impossible to eat meat. The only use for the canines is defending itself against other aardwolves. The main diet of an aardwolf consists of two main species of termites, one of which goes dormant during the winter months.
Since the aardwolf’s main diet consists of these two species of termites, it is forced to live close to the two species where there is an excess amount. The aardwolf can eat an astonishing 200 000 to 300 000 termites in one night. How the aardwolf catches this number of termites is, it uses its acute hearing to detect the termites under ground then uses its sticky broad tongue to lick the termites up.
Breeding
The aardwolf is a very solitary animal so the social behavior is unknown. In South Africa aardwolves mate in early July, and their gestation period lasts for about 90 days, after which 2 – 4 cubs are born. It is unknown when the cubs can eat solid food but the parents do feed the cubs regurgitated termites during weaning.
Behavior
Aardwolves are solitary, nocturnal foragers that only come together during mating and to raise young. Aardwolves are very rarely seen together in small groups and never hunt in a pack because of the exclusivity of their diet, it would be much better to hunt on their own. Aardwolves usually stay in old springhare burrows but also live in abandoned warthog and aardvark burrows. When the aardwolf cannot find a burrow to claim, it digs its own. Though Aardwolves are rare, people have spotted them while on a Kruger tour.
Location
Aardwolves can be found all around Southern and Eastern Africa but not along the coast. The aardwolf can tolerate a lot of different habitat environments like open plains, grasslands, Savannahs and semi-arid areas. There are two separate colonies in Africa, one that is found centrally in South Africa and the other that stretches from Tanzania to all the way to Egypt. Some areas where you can find Aardwolves are in the Northern Cape, Botswana and the Karoo. Though rare in the area, there have been sightings of Aardwolves in the Kruger park during Kruger Park Private Safaris.
Familial Statistics
Order
Carnivora
Family
Hyaenidae
Breeding
2 – 4 cubs, born from October to December after ±3 Months of gestation.
Weight
Both male and female average at about 10,5 kgs
Length
Both male and female average at 90 cm
Spoor Identification
The Aardwolf has broad and strong claws that are 20mm over the curve. There are 5 toes on the front feet, with the first toe found higher up on the foot that makes the spoor have 4 claws and 4 claws are found on the hind feet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name aardwolf mean?
Aardwolf is an Afrikaans word that translates to “earth wolf” in English, and the animal gets its name from its dog-like appearance. Despite the name, the aardwolf digs for termites and other insects.
How does an aardwolf catch termites?
It uses its acute hearing to detect termites underground, then licks them up with its broad, sticky tongue. It depends on two main termite species, one of which goes dormant in winter, so it must live close to where they are plentiful.
How big is an aardwolf?
The aardwolf is a small animal, standing about 40 to 50 cm at the shoulder and weighing about 10 kg. Coarse, darker hair along its back rises when it feels threatened.
Where do aardwolves live?
Aardwolves live across Southern and Eastern Africa, though not along the coast, in two separate populations: one in central South Africa and one stretching from Tanzania to Egypt. They tolerate open plains, grasslands, savannas and semi-arid areas, and can be found in places such as the Northern Cape, Botswana and the Karoo.
Do aardwolves live in burrows?
Yes. Aardwolves usually move into burrows left by other animals, such as abandoned warthog and aardvark burrows. When an aardwolf cannot find a burrow to claim, it digs its own.
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