A new Aardvark cub was recently born at the Burgers’ Zoo in the Netherlands and has been carefully monitored by zookeepers.
This special species is only being house at Burgers’ Zoo, which is under the authority of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). The zoo manages the European breeding program for the Aardvark.
The Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal that is native to Africa and is known as the only living species of the order Tubulidentata, according to Zoo Borns.
The stout animal, with a thin coat and tough skin, has a prominently arched back and is sparsely covered in coarse hair. Its rear legs are longer than the forelegs, and it typically stands 24 inches tall. They are pale yellowish gray in color and would often be stained reddish brown by soil.
The Aardvark feeds on ants and termites, which they forage over a range of 6 to 18 miles from home. They take the insects using their long, sticky tongue after digging the mound using their front legs. In one night, this nocturnal animal can eat as many as 50,000 ants.
Generally, Aardvarks give birth to a single cub that will be born with flaccid ears and many wrinkles. The folds of the skin disappear after two weeks, while their ears will be upright after three weeks. Young cubs would stay with their mother until the next mating season.
In the IUCN Red List, the Aardvark is currently classified as “Least Concern,” although some species are declining because of the decreasing food source.
