What is an aardvark? All about this African creature born in UK zoo after 90 years

When UK's Chester zoo witnessed the birth of an aardvark calf, they immediately knew what to name the newborn with hairless wrinkled skin and dangling ears -- Dobby.

Named after a beloved house elf from JK Rowling's Harry Potter series, this Dobby is special because it was the first time in 90 years that a UK zoo was witnessing the birth of an aardvark calf.

Here are a few characteristics of this unique creature:

1. Aardvarks are native to sub-Saharan Africa and the name means "earth pig" in the language of Afrikaans.


2. They are rarely found in zoos. According to the Chester Zoo, there are only 66 aardvarks in zoos across Europe.

   Aardvark calf Dobby snuggles with mother Oni at the Chester zoo in UK. (Image credit: @chesterzoo/Twitter)



3. The nocturnal animals use their long noses and keen sense of smell to sniff out ants and termites, which they lap up with a long tongue covered in sticky saliva.


4. Aardvarks use their powerful claws to tear open termite mounds, as well as to dig underground burrows in which they sleep.


5. According to the Britannica, aardvarks excavate branching burrows, usually 2–3 metres long but sometimes up to 13 metres, with several sleeping chambers. It abandons old burrows and digs new ones frequently, which thereby provides dens used by other species such as the African wild dog.

   Aardvark calf Dobby who was born in UK's Chester zoo recently. (image credit: @chesterzoo/Twitter)



6. At night it travels 10–30 km, ambling along familiar paths in a zigzag fashion, pausing frequently to sniff and press its snout against the soil.


7. Fleshy sensory organs in he nose probably detect tiny underground movements. With its strong claws the aardvark can rapidly open a cement-hard termite mound.


8. The nostrils are squeezed shut to keep out flying dust. The sticky tongue, extending to 30 cm (nearly 12 inches) from the small mouth, is then used to lap up the insects. A thick hide protects the aardvark from insect bites and stings.

9. If threatened while away from a sheltering burrow, an aardvark can dig its way out of sight in five minutes.
10. An acute sense of hearing protects it from being surprised by predators, which include pythons, lions, leopards, and hyenas.
11. If a predator tries to dig it out of its burrow, the aardvark rapidly moves soil to block the tunnel behind itself. When attacked it slashes with its formidable front claws.
12. Due to human encroachment of wild habitats and insistent hunting, the population of aardvarks is declining in the wild.