“Aardvark” is Afrikaans for “earth pig”, and there are some similarities. His coat is a yellow/gray while the face and end of tail may be a white color. Their toes have large hooves ideal for digging.
The aardvark builds his home in burrows that may be 25′ in size with multiple sleeping areas. They abandon these burrows often, and the old ones are used by other african species.
At night, these unique creatures might travel up to 19 miles in search of ants and termites, their primary food. They don’t drink much; they depend on moisture from the abundance of insects. As they travel they frequently inspect the ground for mounds, and when found they can dig them up without problem, even if they are in hard soil. The nostril close up to keep dust out, and they have thick hides so they aren’t bothered by insect stings.
If a predator is nearby, the aardvark can dig a hole to hide in, in only a few minutes. They have great hearing so they aren’t surprised easily. And if the predator does discover them in their hole, they can quickly cover up the entrance hole. Their front claws are good defense against an attack.
They look a bit like a donkey and probably can be just as stubborn!