I’m an Aardvark
I am a fascinating animal

I may be unusual looking and a curiosity but there is an animal I slightly resemble

I look like a pig with a long snout

I also look like an anteater

I’m neither though

I live in Africa

I live on ants and termites and aardvark cucumbers.

I know what you’re going to ask

What is an aardvark cucumber?



Well it’s a fruit, a melon grown in Africa

Aardvarks spread the seeds after they eat and fully digest them and nature does its magic.



It’s the only fruit spread by the aardvark.



It’s quite remarkable if you think about it.



It’s similar to the giant sloths who once roamed the earth eating avocados and spreading their seeds.



If you were to look up my name you’d learn that it translates to “earth pig”.



Aardvarks weigh between 130 to 180 pounds and outstretched they extend to a length of 7 feet including their tail.



Aardvarks rise to a height of two feet and have a keen sense of smell and hearing which helps them to avoid potential predators in the wild.



Aardvarks have a life expectancy of 18 to 23 years and if they live in captivity they should have the proper care they require as they prefer to burrow in the daytime and forage for food in the nighttime.



They are solitary animals, peaceful and quite shy.



In fact aardvarks only socialize during mating season.



They prefer to be left alone but if they live in captivity they require the necessary care that the zoo staff provide as they need to be kept busy and fed consistently and have medical attention regularly.



Care providers must have tremendous patience and empathy in the care of aardvarks.



In the wild aardvarks will burrow in the ground to keep cool away from the sun and go on the hunt in the evening for insects.



They can cover quite a distance in their quest for food ranging from 6 to 19 miles in the evening when it’s cooler in temperature.



Aardvarks are good at swimming and are happy to find waterways in their natural habitats.



They habitat south of the Sahara desert in Africa and live in grasslands, savannas, woodlands and near waterways, streams, lakes and rivers.



Although aardvarks need water they can obtain it in the insects they forage for and in aardvark cucumbers but they will drink water directly if they travel along waterways and go for a swim too.



Kids learn of the aardvark early because it’s at the start of the alphabet with the letter A.



A is for aardvark



I learned that in my kindergarten class a long time ago in one of my very first school lessons.



The aardvark is a beautiful and sensitive animal who deserves our love and compassion.



They live in a far off land and our only hope in seeing one is at the zoo.



There is a beloved children’s show and book that features an aardvark of sorts and his name is Arthur Timothy Read and it tells a story of a young boy aardvark who goes to school and quarrels with his little sister Dora Winifred Read “DJ” and showcases his day at school and with his friends and his family.



The show experienced a long run of 25 years on PBS and is a favorite of children around the world.



A featured movie showcasing an aardvark is “The Ark and the Aardvark”, a 2023 release which stars Gilbert, the aardvark and his mission of shepherding all the animals on the ark to safety.



We must protect the aardvark and all the animals like they did on Noah’s ark.



Life is much more interesting because of the aardvark.



They can be traced back 5 million years and today there are 15 species of aardvark in the world.



I’m shy and only like to go out in the nighttime to feed and roam the grasslands and occasionally take a swim in the waters.



I’m an aardvark.