Aardvark: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Weird and Wonderful · day 3 of 7

Five facts

1. An aardvark's long, sticky tongue has been recorded licking up as many as 50,000 insects in one night.
2. Aardvark teeth have no enamel and keep regrowing. The biggest ones are made of about 1,500 columns.
3. Aardvarks forage in zig-zags and usually avoid using the same route again for five to eight days, seemingly to let termite nests recover.
4. Cornered, an aardvark may flip onto its back and lash out with all four feet, or strike with its claws, tail and shoulders.
5. The only fruit an aardvark eats is the aardvark cucumber, which grows underground. It leaves the seeds near its burrow.

The quiz

1. How many insects has an aardvark been recorded eating in one night?

• About 500
• As many as 5,000
• As many as 50,000 (correct)
• As many as 500,000

It has been recorded licking up as many as 50,000 insects in one night.

2. What is special about aardvark teeth?

• They have no enamel and keep regrowing (correct)
• They are coated in thick enamel
• They grow only once
• They are sharp fangs

Aardvark teeth have no enamel and keep regrowing.

3. How long does an aardvark usually wait before repeating a route?

• One night
• Two to three days
• A full month
• Five to eight days (correct)

It usually waits five to eight days before using a route again.

4. How may a cornered aardvark fight back?

• By spraying a foul liquid
• By flipping onto its back and lashing out with all four feet (correct)
• By rolling into a ball
• By biting with long fangs

It may flip onto its back and lash out with all four feet.

5. What is the only fruit an aardvark eats?

• The wild fig
• The baobab fruit
• The aardvark cucumber (correct)
• The marula

The only fruit it eats is the aardvark cucumber, which grows underground.

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