{"id":43608,"date":"2024-11-06T11:42:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-06T10:42:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/a0532c3f-49f2-44ee-adbc-1cf217cfdcfa"},"modified":"2024-11-06T13:28:43","modified_gmt":"2024-11-06T12:28:43","slug":"aardvark-vs-anteater-unravelling-the-curious-differences-between-these-2-long-nosed-oddities","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/aardvark-vs-anteater-unravelling-the-curious-differences-between-these-2-long-nosed-oddities\/","title":{"rendered":"Aardvark vs anteater: Unravelling the curious differences between these 2 long-nosed oddities"},"content":{"rendered":"

They might look similar but the aardvark and anteater are very different animals. Here we explain how they differ… <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 06 November 2024 at 10:42 AM<\/p>

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When it comes to curious and weird animals<\/a>, few are as fascinating as the aardvark and the anteater. Both are uniquely adapted to a diet of ants<\/a> and termites, yet they are separated by continents, habitats, and even evolutionary paths.<\/strong><\/p>

What’s the difference between the aardvark and the anteater?<\/h2>

Aardvark. Getty video <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
They both may have long snouts and tongues<\/a> that slurp up termites<\/a> by the thousands, but aardvarks and anteaters are very different species and have little else in common. Here we take a look at how these strange looking creatures differ.<\/p>

For starters, aardvarks are primitive ungulates (a hoofed animal) whereas anteaters aren’t.<\/li>
Both animals live above ground and use their claws to dig out burrows and get into ant and termite nests. However, the anteater’s claws are sharp and up to 4 inches long, while the aardvark’s front claws are blunter because they are ungulates.<\/li>
Size-wise the aardvark is the bigger, weighing between 40-65kg – while anteaters are about a half to a third lighter, weighing 22-40kg.<\/li>
The aardvark is native to Sub-Saharan Africa, while the anteater is found in Central and South America.<\/li>
Their coats are different too. The aardvark has pig<\/a>-like skin and coarse hair, while the anteater is covered in dense fur with bushy tails.<\/li>
When it comes to being active, aardvarks are night owls (nocturnal) whereas anteaters are active during the day (diurnal).<\/li>
The aardvark’s natural predators are lions<\/a>, spotted hyenas<\/a>, pythons and humans, while anteaters make tasty prey for jaguars<\/a> and pumas<\/a>.<\/li> <\/ul>

Anteater. Getty video <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
Discover more fascinating species<\/strong><\/p>
Centipedes vs millipedes: what’s the difference?<\/a><\/li>
Crow vs raven: what’s the difference between these two black corvids?<\/a><\/li>
Crocodile vs alligator: what’s the difference between these two fearsome predators?<\/a><\/li>
Wolf vs dog: what’s the difference between man’s best friend and its wild cousin?<\/a><\/li> <\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n
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