You’ve heard of aardvarks, and you’ve heard of wolves… but have you ever heard of aardwolves?
No, that is not some imaginary creature we made up. The aardwolf is very real — and incredibly cute!
The aardwolf is actually not a wolf at all.
They are the only surviving species in their family, and are more closely related to hyenas.
These cuties feed on insects, mainly termites.
Adults are approximately the size of a fox.
Scientists used to think of them as solitary creatures, when in fact they are very family oriented.
They live as families – two parents and their young pack.
They are shy and nocturnal, sleeping in burrows during the day.
Aardwolves communicate with each other through noises called chirps
You wouldn’t know it looking at them, but they’ve got a fierce howl and a scary bark to intimidate predators.
They are also great fighters when necessary.
But they aren’t particularly fast runners, unlike their hyena cousins.
Oh, did we mention they’re incredibly cute?
Just look at those ears!
In some areas in Eastern Africa, Aardwolves are persecuted by farmers who mistakenly believe that they prey on livestock.
But these gentle creatures are actually benefit farmers because they eat termites that are detrimental to crops.
Aardwolves may be slow moving, but who cares about speed when you’re this cute! They may be the most adorable creatures most people don’t know even exist.
Share these beautiful creatures with your friends who love animals – they’ll love them!
