The dog’s family isn't just a family with a bunch of domestic dogs like the chihuahua and the German shepherd. It is extended into the wilds with some beautiful wild dogs like the wolfs. The same thing goes for the cat family and that has always been the talk of many animal journalists.

Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you all to the first ever episode of LIVES IN THE WILD.

But today, we will be talking about a unique animal that isn’t for the most common family. The Aardwolf.

The Aardwolf

Image from shutterstock

Bio-data (scientific classification)

Kingdom : Animal
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Suborder : Feliformia
Family : Hyaenidae
Subfamily : Protelinae
Genus : Proteles
Species : peristata

Binomia name

Proteles cristata

Classification:

The Aardwolf was formally placed into the family of "Protelidae" due to the conclusion of the scientist in the early days about the mammal being just a mimic of the Hyena’s strip. But recent discovery shows that the Aardwolf is classified with the Hyaenidae.

The Aardwolf can be divided into subspecies which are "P.C septentrionalis of East Africa" and "P.C cristatus of South Africa".

NB:

The Aardwolf is the only surviving species in the mammalian subfamily Protelinae.

Origin:

The Aardwolf’s generic name is originated from ancient Greek. Its name is the combination of two Greek words "Protos" and "Teleos" to form "Proteles". The combined greek words which form proteles mean “complete in front". This is based on the fact that the Aardwolf have complete toes on their front feet with four at the back.

The Aardwolf specific name “Cristatus” is Latin which means “provided with a comb”. This is because of their mane.

Physical Characteristics:

The Aardwolf is a member of the Hyena family only with more slender muscles, black vertical stripes on yellowish fur, and long distinct mane down the medium of the neck and back.

Aardwolf

Hyena

The Aardwolf have a body length between 22 to 31.5 inches, its tail’s length is between 7.9 to 11.8 inches and its average body weight when grown is between 8 to 10 kg but sometimes, at full grown, they tend to reach 15kg. The Aardwolf has four legs with the front legs longer than the hind legs. The front legs have feet with five toes on each foot.

The skeletal anatomyof Aardwolves.

Its front teeth are alike like that of the Hyena only that they have molars like small pegs. The Aardwolf canines are like that of the Hyena but they are primarily used for self-defense and fight. And its ears are large and similar to that of the Hyena.

Distribution:

The distribution of the Aardwolf is determined by the distribution of termites but this particular family of termites known as Trinervitermes has the major influence on the distribution of the Aardwolf. The Aardwolf distribution in Africa is of two major areas. East Africa and Northeastern Africa with 1,500km setting both region apart.

The regional distributionof Aardwolves

Habitat:

Aardwolf peering from burrow

The Aardwolf is not a migrant and with the presence of its food requirement on the grassy plain, the Aardwolf inhabits the grassy plain and bushland, avoiding the mountains areas and can’t be found in the forest either.
The Aardwolves rest all day in the burrow and at night, they become active.

Behavior:

Aardwolves are mistaken for solitary animals because they lived as monogamous pairs with their young ones. Aardwolves are known for their all day resting in underground burrows but this doesn’t happen all time. During cold season or winter, they go out to feed during the day and stay in at night to conserve heat.

Aardwolves are good protector of their territory though it depends on what type of intruder they have. If the intruder is less at advantage to them they will combine forces to chase the intruder far from their home which is about 400m or to the border. If the intruder seems more powerful and tries to take a stand after being caught they will engage in a fight. Though fighting with intruders rarely happens.

When fighting with trespassers, Aardwolves accompany their effort with hoarse barking, a particular type of roar and soft ducking.

Feeding:

Aardwolves are known for their vast feeding on insects especially on termites. Aardwolves basically feed on a specific genus of termites known as Trinervitermes. Though the Trinervitermes are of different species across the range of the Aardwolves. There is another genus of termites the Aardwolves feast on, this genus is known as Hodotermes. Feasting on these termites depends on season and how abundant the termites are. The Trinervitermes are mostly available during the warm season and the Hodotermes are abundantly available in cooler months

Aardwolves are known for licking their prey or food off the ground with the help of their flat sticky tongue. About 300,000 termites are consumed every night with this method of feeding employed by the Aardwolf with less water needed because the consumed termites provide support to the needed fluid intake.

Reproduction:

Secretion from anal glands of both males and females are pasted as a scent in order to attract their mates. The males are known to be territorial over mates and land.
This doesn’t make the males monogamous because of the males takes over each others advantage if one is weaker.

Aardwolves cubs

They have sex with females with weaker male's mates. The sex always takes place during summer and production of offsprings by the females comes into play after 90 days of gestation which commences immediately after fertilization. 2 to 5 cubs are given birth to and these cubs remain underground in the den for the first month. After every couple of months, the cubs increase their distance from the den until they reach one year before they become independent.

Environmental and Economic importance of Aardwolf:

Termites are known for destroying woods. With the presence of Aardwolves, the population of termites is limited in their range which helps in the prevention of extensive wood damage for both animals and humans.
Aardwolves consumption of a large number of termites. Prevent food damage for animals and crops for farmers.

Predation:

Based on open grassland inhabitation, Aardwolves are vulnerable to humans because humans mistake Aardwolves for livestock predator. Dogs are also predators of Aardwolves and pups are defenseless against black-backed jackals.

Do you know?

Do you know that Aardwolves are known as maanhaar jackal?
Do you know that Aardwolf is the Afrikaans word for “Earth wolf”?

Lives in the wild #1; Aardwolf