Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)

Aardvarks are the only living member of the order Tubulidentata. Due to their elusive lifestyle, they are also one of the least known of all mammals.

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About the Aardvark

The Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) (afer: from Africa) is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa. It is sometimes called "antbear", "anteater", "Cape anteater" (after the Cape of Good Hope), "earth hog" or "earth pig". The word "aardvark" is famous for being one of the first entries to appear in many encyclopaedias and even abridged dictionaries. The name comes from the Afrikaans/Dutch for "earth pig" or "ground pig" (aarde earth/ground, varken pig), because early settlers from Europe thought it resembled a domesticated pig. However, the aardvark is not closely related to the pig; rather, it is the sole recent representative of the obscure mammalian order Tubulidentata, in which it is usually considered to form a single variable species of the genus Orycteropus, coextensive with the family Orycteropodidae. The aardvark is not closely related to the South American anteater, despite sharing some characteristics and a superficial resemblance. The closest living relatives of the aardvark are the elephant shrews, along with the sirenians, hyraxes, tenrecs, and elephants.

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Scientific Classification

Class: Mammal (Mammalia)

Order: Tubulidentata

Family: Orycteropodidae

Genus: Orycteropus

Species: Aardvark (afer)

Common Names

  • Antbear
  • Anteater
  • Cape anteater
  • Earth hog
  • Earth pig

Where can I see them?

Map showing the distribution of the Aardvark species

Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder

Conservation Status

The Aardvark is Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)

  1. EX - Extinct
  2. EW
  3. CR - Threatened
  4. EN - Threatened
  5. VU - Threatened
  6. NT
  7. LC - Least concern

Population trend: Unknown

Year assessed: 2008

What's the threat?

The aardvark has no major threats. Minor threats include habitat loss due to agricultural conversion and subsistence hunting for meat. In some areas the hide of the aardvark is made into straps and bracelets and the claws used as good luck charms. The burrows can cause damage to faming equipment and in certain areas farmers have exterminated aardvarks. However, in areas where aardvarks have been removed termites have subsequently inflicted enormous damage on crops.

Information about the threat is provided by the Zoological Society of London's EDGE of Existence programme

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