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Striped Mammal Week: Aardwolf (Proteles cristata)

Posted on Mar 29, 2008 by in Carnivores, Theme Weeks | 1 comment

Before long, it will be time for another 24-Hour Mammal Marathon!

Proteles cristata

Number 0134

The aardwolf is in the hyena family, and you can see the resemblance. Unlike their hyena cousins, however, aardwolves are insectivores, eating mainly termites along with the larvae of other insects. They keep their dens in underground burrows throughout Africa, often moving into homes that aardvarks have abandoned. They’re sometimes killed by people mistakenly believing that they prey on poultry and sheep, but they actually seem to hate eating meat. The biggest problem aardwolves face from humans comes when the aardwolves eat insects that have been sprayed with pesticide.

The Aardwolf on the IUCN Hyaena Specialist Group website

1 Comment

  1. Jennifer: Now that’s one I never heard of. I know the hyena ans the aardvark but not the aardwolf. A strange and beautiful animal.

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