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Wildlife Guide · Sub-Saharan Africa

Aardvark

Orycteropus afer (Pallas, 1766)

Africa's solitary digger — one species, an entire order, built for termites.

Least Concern (IUCN, 2016)
A wild aardvark (Orycteropus afer) foraging at dusk among dry scrub in open savanna, its long ears, tubular snout and arched back clearly visible.

Image: Photo: Ludwig Xu En Muller / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

In brief

The aardvark (Orycteropus afer) is the only living species of its order, a nocturnal insectivore of sub-Saharan Africa listed as Least Concern; it digs for termites and its burrows shelter dozens of other species.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated

The aardvark is the sole living species of the order Tubulidentata — one of Africa's most evolutionary distinctive mammals. With a pig-like snout, rabbit-like ears and a kangaroo-like tail, it is adapted for eating ants and termites, which it locates by smell and excavates with powerful claws. Aardvarks are strictly nocturnal and solitary, roaming territories of up to 4 km². Listed as Least Concern, they remain widespread but are hunted for bushmeat and threatened by pesticide use that reduces insect prey. Their abandoned burrows provide shelter for warthogs, hyenas, pythons and many other species.

Least Concern

IUCN Red List status (2016 assessment)

1 species

The sole living Tubulidentata on Earth

40–65 kg

Typical adult weight

Not listed

CITES status

Figures sourced from IUCN Red List — Orycteropus afer, Encyclopaedia Britannica — aardvark, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — aardvark .

Aardvark: Quick Facts

Vital statistics and key facts about the Aardvark
Weight 40–65 kg
Diet Ants and termites — up to 50,000 per night
Tongue Up to 30 cm — sticky for lapping insects
Activity Strictly nocturnal and solitary
Burrows Up to 13 m long; used by many other species
CITES Not listed

Scientific Classification

Scientific classification of the Aardvark
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Tubulidentata
Family Orycteropodidae
Species Orycteropus afer (Pallas, 1766)

Conservation Status

IUCN Status
Least Concern (IUCN, 2016). Stable across most of sub-Saharan Africa.
Population
No global estimate; widespread and locally common
Trend
Stable globally; decreasing locally from hunting and pesticides
Assessed
2016
CITES
Not listed under CITES

Key Facts: Aardvark

  • Aardvarks are the only living species of the order Tubulidentata.
  • They eat up to 50,000 termites in a single night using a 30 cm tongue.
  • Abandoned aardvark burrows shelter warthogs, hyenas, pythons and wild dogs.
  • Aardvarks are strictly nocturnal and solitary.
  • Pesticide use on termites and bushmeat hunting are the main threats.
  • Their name means 'earth pig' in Afrikaans — a reference to their digging habit.

An evolutionary oddity

The aardvark occupies its own order, Tubulidentata, with no close living relatives. Genetic studies suggest affinity with elephants, hyraxes and sirenians — the superorder Afrotheria. Its teeth are unique: hexagonal prisms of dentine without enamel, which grow continuously and are worn down by ingested soil. The body combines features that confuse casual observers: a long tubular snout, elongated ears, a thick tail and powerful digging claws. Aardvarks range across sub-Saharan Africa wherever termites and ants are abundant, from open savanna to woodland.

Termite hunting by night

Aardvarks leave their burrows after dark to forage, covering several kilometres per night. They detect termite and ant colonies by smell, then rip open mounds and runways with chisel-like claws. A sticky tongue up to 30 cm long laps up insects — an adult may consume 50,000 in one night. Aardvarks also eat the aardvark cucumber (Cucumis humifructus), the only fruit whose seeds are dispersed exclusively by aardvarks. During the day they sleep in self-dug burrows up to 13 m long, entering tail-first.

Burrows and ecosystem services

Aardvark burrows are a critical resource for other species. Warthogs, porcupines, hyenas, wild dogs and pythons use abandoned or shared burrows for shelter and denning. In arid areas, burrows provide the only shade and refuge for smaller animals. Aardvarks therefore act as ecosystem engineers — their digging aerates soil, recycles nutrients and creates habitat. Declining aardvark populations may cascade to dependent species.

Conservation status

The IUCN lists the aardvark as Least Concern with a stable population across most of its range. Local declines occur from bushmeat hunting, road mortality and pesticide use that reduces termite prey. Aardvarks are not listed under CITES. Because they are solitary and nocturnal, population trends are hard to monitor. Protecting insect-rich habitat and reducing indiscriminate pesticide application benefit aardvarks and the species that depend on their burrows.

What WARN Does

WARN publishes this aardvark guide as free public education. Ecosystem engineers like aardvarks illustrate how losing one species can affect many others — a principle central to habitat protection.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

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Aardvark: Frequently Asked Questions

What does an aardvark eat?
Aardvarks eat ants and termites almost exclusively, consuming up to 50,000 insects per night. They also eat the aardvark cucumber, a fruit whose seeds they alone disperse.

Is an aardvark related to an anteater?
No. Despite similar diets, aardvarks (Africa) and anteaters (South America) evolved independently — convergent evolution. Aardvarks belong to Afrotheria; anteaters to Xenarthra.

Why are aardvark burrows important?
Abandoned aardvark burrows provide shelter for warthogs, hyenas, pythons, porcupines and wild dogs. In arid regions, burrows are often the only refuge from heat and predators.

Are aardvarks endangered?
Aardvarks are Least Concern globally. Local declines occur from bushmeat hunting and pesticide use, but the species remains widespread across sub-Saharan Africa.

Are aardvarks active during the day?
No. Aardvarks are strictly nocturnal, leaving burrows after dark to forage for termites and ants. They sleep underground during the day.

Where does an aardvark live?
Aardvarks range across sub-Saharan Africa wherever termites and ants are abundant, from open savanna to woodland. They roam solitary territories of up to 4 km² and sleep by day in self-dug burrows up to 13 m long. Listed Least Concern, they remain widespread though local declines occur from bushmeat hunting and pesticide use that reduces insect prey.

Are aardvarks dangerous?
Aardvarks are not considered dangerous to people. They are strictly nocturnal, solitary insect-eaters that avoid contact, leaving burrows after dark to forage for termites and ants. Their powerful claws excavate mounds rather than being used to attack. Local bushmeat hunting is a threat to aardvarks, not the reverse.

How heavy is an aardvark?
Adult aardvarks typically weigh 40–65 kg according to this guide's quickFacts and IUCN stats. They are the sole living Tubulidentata species — a nocturnal digger built for termite hunting with a sticky tongue up to 30 cm long that can consume up to 50,000 insects in one night.

How long do aardvarks live?
A precise wild lifespan for aardvarks is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. The aardvark (Orycteropus afer) is the only living species of its order, a nocturnal insectivore of sub-Saharan Africa listed as Least Concern; it digs for termites and its burrows shelter dozens of other species. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

Sources & References

Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.

Terms used on this page

Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.

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