The aardwolf is a lesser-known cousin of the striped, brown, and spotted hyenas. Because it is shy, elusive and nocturnal, it is rarely seen by people.

The name aardwolf essentially means aardwolf in Afrikaans and Dutch, but this is misleading as it is not a wolf at all. Instead, it belongs to the hyena family, a fact that is quite obvious just from its appearance. It looks quite similar to the striped hyena, whose African habitat overlaps with its own.

Aardwolf vs Hyena

As just mentioned, the aardwolf is a member of the hyena family and has a similar appearance to a hyena. The main differences are that aardvarks typically have smaller body sizes, they live in smaller groups within family units, and they feed on insects rather than carrion or larger prey.

3 amazing facts about Aardwolf!

• Because aardvarks are uniquely adapted to eating termites, some of their teeth have evolved into blunt pegs that are barely even capable of chewing meat. Instead, their powerful jaws are used to defend territory.
• An alternative name for the species is maanhaar-jackal, which means maned jackal in Dutch, although it is not closely related to the jackal at all.
• Aardvarks are territorial and will raise their mane as a warning sign to an intruder, then chase it away! Situations rarely end in a fight.

Science name

The scientific name of the aardwolf is Proteles cristata. The genus name Proteles, which essentially means “complete in front” in Greek, refers to the fact that it has five toes on its front limbs and only four on its hind limbs. Cristata comes from a Latin word meaning the comb or tuft of hair on the animal’s head (referring to its luxurious mane).

There are two subspecies of the aardwolf: Proteles cristatus cristatus, which lives in South Africa, and Proteles cristatus septentrionalis, which lives in eastern and northeastern Africa.

Along with the brown hyena, spotted hyena, and striped hyena, the aardwolf is a member of the family Hyaenidae. It used to be placed in its own family, but this is no longer considered correct.

Evolution

The aardwolf is thought to be an example of a “primitive” hyena. Essentially, this means they may have evolved from a very early branch of the hyena family before the other three species appeared. Based on genetic and fossil evidence, they probably diverged from the rest of the hyena family sometime between 15 and 32 million years ago. It was once suggested that the aardwolf may not be a hyena at all but a closely related species that mimics the appearance of the striped hyena to deceive potential predators, but this explanation has been discontinued. remains popular as scientists gather more evidence.

Appearance

Aardvarks can be accidentally mistaken for hyenas if you don’t know what key identifying signs to look for. The most prominent feature is the strong dark stripes on the brown or yellow coat with additional black markings around the feet, tail and muzzle. It also has a thick mane running from head to tail and large triangular ears. However, compared to most hyenas, it also has five toes on its front feet instead of four. Most members of this species are about 3 feet long and weigh between 17 and 31 pounds. This makes them the smallest members of the hyena family. Males and females look almost identical in color and size.

Habitat

Aardwolves prefer to live in dry savannas and grasslands with minimal annual rainfall. It can be found in two separate places, so that two subspecies have developed from the separation: the eastern horn of Africa around Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya and the southern part of Africa around Angola, Zambia and South Africa. There is some debate as to whether these eastern and southern populations should be considered completely separate subspecies since, aside from their distinct ranges, they are otherwise similar.

Predators and threats

Aardwolves face some significant threats in the wild because they often keep to themselves and don’t often bother humans. However, sometimes they are at risk of becoming victims of hunting, motorbike accidents and habitat loss due to human encroachment.

What eats Aardwolf?

Adult aardwolves have few serious predators in the wild, but aardwolf pups are vulnerable to jackals, lions, leopards, and other hyenas. Hounds also sometimes attack and kill aardvarks.

What do Aardwolf eat?

Aardwolves may look like fearsome predators, but their diet consists almost exclusively of termites.

Reproduction and life cycle

Aardwolf mating season can occur at any time of year, but depending on where they live, fertility often peaks during the rainy months. To attract potential mates, both males and females will secrete a pungent odor from their anal glands. If the female accepts what the male offers, they will form a pair bond and give birth to one litter each year. However, the most aggressive males may invade other territories and copulate with the mates of weaker males.

After a gestation period of about 90 days, the mother will give birth to a litter of 2 to 5 puppies with open eyes but no self-reliance. They will remain safe and protected in their underground burrows, feeding on their mother’s milk for the first three to four months of their lives. The father is responsible for guarding the den, while the mother will forage outside. Once the female is fully weaned, each puppy will be fed termites until it is old enough to hunt on its own.

These foraging trips gradually become bolder and move away from the den with each passing month. Aardwolf puppies will continue to learn and develop under their parents’ supervision during their first year. After that, they left their families to go control their territory. Most aardwolves reach full sexual maturity at about 1.5 to two years of age. The lifespan of the aardwolf is unknown, but other closely related hyena species can live 15 years or more in the wild.