Aardwolf
Proteles cristatus
TAXONOMY
Proteles cristatus (Sparrman, 1783), near Little Fish River, Somerset East, eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Two subspecies recognized.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Protèle; German: Erdwolf.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Resembles the striped hyena, but is smaller and lacks the robust neck and jaws and large teeth. It has a mane along the back that can be held erect. Its general body color is yellowish-white to rufous with several vertical black stripes along the body and one or two diagonal stripes across the fore- and hindquarters. There are also several stripes on the legs. Males and females weigh about the same, 20 lb (9 kg) in southern Africa, up to 30 lb (14 kg) in East Africa, and they stand about 19 in (47 cm) at the shoulder.
DISTRIBUTION
Occurs in two distinct populations. The southern population occurs over most of southern Africa as far as southern Angola, southern Zambia and southwestern Mozambique. This population is separated by a 930 mi (1,500 km) strip of moist woodland from the northern population in East Africa which ranges as far north as the extreme southeast of Egypt.
HABITAT
Prefers open grassy plains in the 4–24 in (100–600 mm) annual rainfall range.
BEHAVIOR
The aardwolf is monogamous and territorial—a mated pair and its latest offspring occupy a territory of 0.4–1.6 sq mi (1–4 sq km), depending on the density of termites. Territories are marked by pasting. If an intruder is encountered the resident raises the long mane along its back and, particularly if it is of the same sex, it is chased to the border. Intruders usually escape and fights are rare, except between males in the mating season. Although the cheek teeth are reduced to a few small pegs, the canine teeth are well developed and they can inflict injuries to other aardwolves. Fatal fights have been recorded. Deep roars, most uncharacteristic for this delicate looking creature accompany these fights.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
The aardwolf feeds almost exclusively on one genus of snouted harvester termite, of the genus Trinervitermes. It licks the termites off the ground while they forage at night. Normally a foraging column comprises mainly workers, however, once disturbed the proportion of workers to soldiers changes rapidly, so that the predator starts taking in more and more soldiers, which squirt noxious terpenes when attacked. Eventually the quantity of terpenes taken in becomes too much and the aardwolf terminates the feeding bout.
During the cold winters in South Africa Trinervitermes is inactive. At this time the aardwolf switches its diet and activity to feeding in the afternoon on the diurnal, pigmented harvester termite, Hodotermes mossambicus. In tropical areas of East Africa the aardwolf has a more varied diet during the rainy season when a number of other termites are also eaten.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Monogamous. The aardwolf is a seasonal breeder. In southern Africa mating takes place in early July. Litter size is one to four. Cubs emerge from the den at about four weeks, begin foraging for termites around the den at nine weeks, and are weaned at four months when the denning period ends and the cubs become independent.
The male aardwolf helps to raise the young by guarding the den against predators. However, males are promiscuous. At the start of the mating season males make scouting trips into neighboring territories, when dominant males frequently mate with the females of less dominant males. The females mate with both males, thereby keeping the cuckolded male interested in the cubs.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Lower Risk/Least Concern.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
