Mammals · Carnivora · Hyaenidae

Aardwolf

Proteles cristata

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

For all that it belongs to the hyena family, it neither hunts nor scavenges large prey: it has specialised almost entirely in eating termites, with a sticky tongue that can lap up 250,000 of them in a single night.

Weight

8 kg – 14 kg

Size

55 cm – 80 cm

Lifespan

7 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaInsectivore Nocturnal In pairs Savanna Mammal

7countries 22parks3same family

Fun facts

For all that it is a hyena, it eats almost nothing but termites.
It can lap up as many as 250,000 termites in a single night.
Males guard the den for up to 6 hours a night while the mother forages.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Dry savannah and open grassland of eastern and southern Africa, with under 80 cm of rain a year
Birth weight: 200 - 350 grams
Size at birth: Born with its eyes already open, though wholly helpless
Sexual maturity: 1.5-2 years
Gestation / incubation: 89-92 days (~3 months)
Litter / clutch size: 2 to 5 young per litter (most commonly 2-3)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 19-20 years in captivity

Sources consulted: AnAge; SA-Venues; JungleDragon; ResearchGate; National Geographic; A-Z Animals; Animal Diversity Web; GBIF

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: All year round in the savannahs of eastern and southern Africa, at night; it feeds almost exclusively on termites of the genus Trinervitermes.