Aardvark


In the Wild:

Aardvark are the only living species of the order Tubulidentata, although other prehistoric species and genera of Tubulidentata are known. The Aardvark's closest living relatives include tenrecs, hyraxes and elephants! They have no relation to anteaters despite their similar appearances and diet. Unlike other insectivores, it has a long, pig-like snout, which is used to sniff out food. It is a nocturnal feeder and feeds on ants and termites, which it digs out of hill using its sharp claws and powerful legs. It will also dig to create burrows in which to live and rear young. Aardvarks pair only during the breeding season. After a gestation of seven months, one cub weighing around 1.8kg is born during May-July.

Conservation Status:

The Aardvark is part of the European Endangered Species Programme. Many African tribes hunt this animal for its meat and sometimes use its body parts as charms. Other animals, like lions, hyenas and leopards naturally predate them as prey.

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Quick Facts

  • Lifespan: Up to 23 years in captivity
  • Distribution: Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Habitat: Savannas, grasslands, woodlands, bushland

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING...

  • This was the third time that we have had the Shepreth outreach team visit us at school and it was an excellent visit as always.  The team arrived on time and set up quickly.  They had brought with them an excellent range of age appropriate animals and they were extremely knowledgeable and informative.  The session was very ‘hands on’ and the staff were sensitive to the needs of the group that they were working with, tailoring questions to suit.  The children all had a wonderful learning experience and were amazed by the animals, they were very excited by the opportunity to touch some extrelmely unusual species.  It was a wonderful afternoon, enjoyed by all, and we will definitely be booking again next year!

  • I just want to say a huge THANK YOU for a wonderful experience that my family enjoyed yesterday at Shepreth.

    Despite the unfortunately changeable weather on Saturday my partner and I along with our 3 children (aged 3,6 and 9) had a most enjoyable day. There was so much to see, do, stroke, learn about, play on, etc that we didn’t want to leave!

    However the icing on the cake for all of us was when we went into Bug City where we met a charming and informative keeper who showed us some of the animals and answered lots of questions from my inquisitive 9 year old about spiders, lizards, snakes and scorpions.

    Please pass on our gratitude to all your friendly staff as it was so nice to take my family somewhere that catered for all ages and where the staff clearly are enjoying what they do and not forgetting all the animals that are so well looked after and cared about.

    Looking forward to visiting again when we can – please keep up the great work!

  • First Arlesey scout group was very fortunate to have Pete and Lainie from Shepreth Wildlife Park organise an outreach session for the beaver group as part of their animal friend badge. Pete and Lainie’s enthusiasm for nature and child centered approach along with their amazing animals kept a group of 30+, 6-10 years old, engaged for a whole hour. We would be more than delighted to have Pete and Lainie come back and teach our group in the near future and will arrange another trip to Shepreth. I would recommend this type of session to any scout group that wishes to incorporate some wildlife into their programme.

  • I thoroughly recommend the outreach programme. The presence of live animals in the classroom inspired my students and helped their understanding of many parts of the science national curriculum. The interpretation officers are informative and very knowledgeable. They pitched their presentation at the appropriate level, encouraging students to ask many questions and were happy to discuss my needs before the talk to ensure its relevance to my class. The whole event was a very easy way to organise a really exciting experience.

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