Aardwolf

The aardwolf is a small hyena native to eastern and southern Africa that feeds mainly on termites, which it gathers with a long, sticky tongue.

Termite: A eusocial insect whose colonies live in nests and feed mainly on plant material. Aardwolves locate termite colonies and lap up their workers, especially harvester termites.
Hyena: A family of carnivorous mammals native to Africa and parts of Asia. The aardwolf belongs to the hyena family despite its insect-based diet.
Camera trap: A remotely triggered camera used to record wildlife without a human operator present. Camera traps document aardwolves’ nocturnal activity and distribution.
Striped hyena: A large, mostly solitary hyena with a striped coat, found across parts of Africa and Asia. It shares the aardwolf’s striped appearance but is larger and eats a broader range of foods.
Proteles cristata: The scientific name of the aardwolf, the sole living species in its genus. This binomial identifies the species discussed here.
Harpagophytum termites: Termites in the genus Harpagophytus that forage above ground in southern Africa. These termites are a major food source for aardwolves in southern Africa.
Hyaenidae: The mammal family containing hyenas and the aardwolf. Its placement in Hyaenidae explains the aardwolf’s anatomical kinship with larger hyenas.
Scat analysis: The study of animal feces to identify diet, health, or species presence. Aardwolf droppings can reveal which termite species were eaten.
Spotted hyena: A social, spotted hyena that hunts and scavenges across much of sub-Saharan Africa. It is a better-known hyena whose predatory diet contrasts with the aardwolf’s termite specialization.
Eastern aardwolf: The eastern form of the aardwolf, occurring in eastern Africa. Its range and ecology distinguish it from southern populations.

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