• Mandai Wildlife Reserve
  • Bird Paradise
  • River Wonders
  • Singapore Zoo
  • English
    • English
    • 简体中文
    • 日本語
  • EN
    • EN
    • 简体中文
    • 日本語
    • My memberships
    • Update Profile
    • Logout
    • My memberships
    • Update Profile
    • Logout
  • Search
icon

You're now logged out!

Night Safari Night Safari
Buy Now
  • Things to Do
    • What's On
    • Activities
    • Presentations
    • Shopping
    • Dining
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Getting Here
    • Getting Around
    • Tips & Services
    • Park Map
  • Animals & Zones
  • Education
    • Admission Rates
    • Resources
  • Memberships
    • Friends of Wildlife
    • Friends of Wildlife Plus
    • WildPass
    • Corporate Wildlife Benefits
  • Buy Now
  • Things to Do
    • What's On
    • Activities
    • Presentations
    • Shopping
    • Dining
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Getting Here
    • Getting Around
    • Tips & Services
    • Park Map
  • Animals & Zones
  • Education
    • Admission Rates
    • Resources
  • Memberships
    • Friends of Wildlife
    • Friends of Wildlife Plus
    • WildPass
    • Corporate Wildlife Benefits
  • Mandai Wildlife Reserve
  • Singapore Zoo
  • River Wonders
  • Night Safari
  • Bird Paradise
  • Night Safari
  • Animals & Zones
  • Aardvark

Aardvark

Find me in
East Lodge Trail
  • Quick Facts
  • Get to Know
  • Protecting Wildlife
  • You Might Also Like

Quick facts

Lifespan

Lifespan

Around 18 years in the wild

Up to 24 years under human care

fruits

Diet

Ants and termites

Habitat

Habitat

Savannahs, grasslands and forests

range

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa

Share on

The aardvark

Earth pig

With its rabbit ears and a tail like a kangaroo’s, the aardvark looks like an imaginary creature. Its name translates to “earth pig” in the Afrikaans language, probably referencing its long, pig-like snout and habitual burrowing.

Containing ten nasal bones – more than any mammal – the snout is used to sniff out prey and its nostrils can be closed when eating and burrowing. An excellent digger, the aardvark can burrow underground in a matter of minutes.

Appetite for ants

Nicknamed antbear for its appetite for ants and termites, the aardvark can consume as many as 50,000 insects in a night. 30cm long and covered in sticky saliva, its ribbon-like tongue is used to reach into the winding tunnels of termite mounds and ant nests.

As for insects that it can't reach even with its tongue, it pushes its snout against the hole in the mound, using it like a vacuum cleaner to suck insects nearer before slurping them up.

Tube teeth

The only living tube-toothed animal, their teeth grow continuously and are worn down as the aardvark chews. The teeth have a mostly flat shape, perfect for crunching through insects.

But most of the time, aardvarks do not need to chew, relying on their strong stomach muscles to break down their food. Scientists believe they have retained their teeth to bite through the skin of a cucumber that is their main source of water (aptly named the aardvark cucumber).

Together, we protect wildlife

Ark for the aardvarks

Ark for the aardvarks

Aardvarks are hunted for their meat. Their skin, teeth and claws are made into ornaments and sometimes used in folk medicine. Farmers and ranchers see their burrows as a nuisance and may kill any aardvarks on their property. Our aardvarks are a part of the European Studbook (ESB) which involves coordinated efforts by participating zoos to ensure the species’ future survival. Transfer of individuals between these zoos is based on genetic compatibility.

The IUCN Status

LC

Least Concern

At relatively low risk of extinction

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.

DD

Data Deficient

Unknown risk of extinction

LC

Least Concern

At relatively low risk of extinction

NT

Near Threatened

Likely to become vulnerable in the near future

VU

Vulnerable

At high risk of extinction in the wild

EN

Endangered

At very high risk of extinction in the wild

CR

Critically Endangered

At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild

EW

Extinct in the Wild

Survives only in captivity

EX

Extinct

No surviving individuals in the wild or in captivity

You might also like

The Wild Scoop
The Wild Scoop
Fishing Cat Trail
Fishing Cat Trail
Asian Elephant
Asian Elephant

Every visit to our parks comes with

Every visit to our parks comes with
Find out how, together, we're creating a better future for wildlife and the planet.

Daily Opening Hours

7.15pm – 12:00am (Last entry at 11:15pm)

Dining & retail outlets open at 6:30pm

Address

80 Mandai Lake Road
Singapore 729826

Stay Connected

  • TikTok-qr-code
  • Weibo-qr-code
  • WeChat-qr-code
  • Douyin-qr-code

About Mandai

  • Mandai Wildlife Group
  • The Mandai Family
  • Mandai Rejuvenation Project
  • Media Centre

Our Parks

  • Bird Paradise
  • Night Safari
  • River Wonders
  • Singapore Zoo

Get Involved

  • Volunteer
  • Support Wildlife
  • Partner With Us

Corporate

  • Corporate Wildlife Benefits
  • Corporate Packages
  • Events and Venues
  • Adoption Programme

Careers

  • We Are Hiring

Need Help?

  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Announcements

© Copyright 2023, Singapore Zoological Gardens. All Rights Reserved.

Mandai Wildlife Reserve, Mandai Bird Paradise, Mandai River Wonders, Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Wildlife Reserves Singapore are copyrighted by and/or trade marks of Singapore Zoological Gardens (and/or its affiliate(s)) in Singapore and/or other countries, as the case may be.
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Data Protection Policy