The World of Mammals [antikvár]

AARDVARK Orycteropus afer, large African burrowing mammal with no close living relatives, at first placed in the order Edentata (the toothless ones) along with the armadillos and sloths because of its lack of front teeth. Now placed by itself in the order TubuUdentata (the tube-toothed) so called because of the fine tubes radiating through each tooth. The teeth themselves are singular in having no roots or enamel. Being nocturnal and secretive its habits are diflicult to study, although it is in fact found throughout Africa, south of the Sahara, in most types of country except dense forest. The aardvark (the Afrikaans name for 'earth-pig'), has a sturdy body, 6 ft (180 cm) long including a 2 ft (60 cm) tail and stands 2 ft (60 cm) high at the shoulder. The tough grey skin looks almost naked but is in fact very sparsely covered with hair. The head is long and narrow with a snout bearing a round pig-like muzzle and small mouth. The ears are large, resembling those of a donkey. The limbs are very powerful with four strong claws on the front feet and five on the hind feet. Aardvarks excavate burrows, 3-4 yd (3m) long with their powerful limbs and sharp claws, working with incredible speed. When digging the aardvark rests on its hind legs and tail, pushing the earth back under its body with its forefeet and throwing it out with the hindlegs. Usually only one aardvark occupies a burrow, but each animal has several burrows sometimes several miles apart. In midsummer the female gives birth in her burrow to a single young, occasionally twins. After two weeks the young aardvark is strong enough to come out from the burrow and go foraging with its mother. At six months it is able to dig its own burrow and fend for itself. The aardvark feeds mainly on termites. It can rip a small hole in the rock-hard walls of the nests with its powerful claws, insert its muzzle and then pick out the swarming termites with its 18 in (45 cm) long, slender, sticky tongue. Its nose is protected from the termites by a fringe of stiff bristles and by its ability to close its nostrils. The aardvark also feeds on termites in rotten wood or while they are on the march but it is unable to eat true ants as its stomach is not adapted for dealing with hard-bodied insects. It will sometimes eat other soft-bodied insects and some fruit. Unlike other burrowing animals it will sometimes travel long distances in search of food, family: Orycteropidae, order: TubuUdentata, class: Mammalia. AARDWOLF Proteles crislatus, African relative of the hyaenas, in a separate family, the Protelidae. The aardwolf (the Afrikaans name for 'earth-wolT) is somewhat larger than a fox, weighing 50-60 lb (22-27 kg) with a yellow-grey coat with black stripes and black legs below the knee. The muzzle is black and hairless, the tail bushy and black-tipped. The hair along the neck and back is long and may be erected when the animal is frightened. It is found throughout southern and eastern Africa as far north as Somalia, in sandy plains or bushy country. It is not commun anywhere throughout its range and is rarely seen, being solitary and nocturnal, spending the day in rock crevices or burrows which it digs out of the soil. It differs in form from true hyaenas in having five instead of foiu toes on the front feet, larger ears and a narrower muzzle with weaker jaws and teeth. The main difference, however, is in its different feeding habits. The true hyaenas, with their powerful neck and jaw muscles and strong teeth, are hunters and carrion eaters. The aardwolfs teeth, except for the fairly large canines, are small and weak and there are few cheekteeth. It feeds, therefore, ahnost entirely on termites although, lacking strong claws to tear open the termite nests, it has to be satisfied with taking the insects fi'om the surface or digging them out of soft soil. It sweeps up the termites in hundreds with amazing speed witii its long sticky tongue. When insects are short it may take mice, The aardvark and (inset) crown view of tooth showing tubular structure. ' '>ill ' -Si- ú j/w-''^:" r'- * * -r^if y m'^ J hi ty