What can aardvarks do with their nostrils?

Close them against dust and insects

What is unusual about aardvark teeth?

They are peg-like with no enamel

What is special about the aardvark's classification?

It is the only living member of its order

Aardvark Quiz: Termite Snouts, Burrows and Earth Pigs

This aardvark quiz digs into the life of Africa's night-time termite hunter. Play 10 interactive questions on its Afrikaans name meaning earth pig, a long snout and sticky tongue, powerful digging claws, burrows used by many other animals, nostrils that close against dust, peg-like teeth without enamel, its lonely place in its own order and the aardvark cucumber.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Continent
Where do aardvarks live?
Name
What does aardvark mean in Afrikaans?
Diet
What do aardvarks mainly eat?
Tongue
What helps them collect insects?
Dig
What are aardvarks famous for?
Burrows
Who else uses old aardvark burrows?
Nose
What can aardvarks do with their nostrils?
Teeth
What is unusual about aardvark teeth?
Order
What is special about the aardvark's classification?
Cucumber
Which plant depends on aardvarks to spread seeds?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Where do aardvarks live?
Answer: Africa
They range south of the Sahara.
Q2: What does aardvark mean in Afrikaans?
Answer: Earth pig
Early settlers named it.
Q3: What do aardvarks mainly eat?
Answer: Ants and termites
They eat thousands a night.
Q4: What helps them collect insects?
Answer: A long sticky tongue
It reaches deep into nests.
Q5: What are aardvarks famous for?
Answer: Digging fast with strong claws
They can dig very quickly.
Q6: Who else uses old aardvark burrows?
Answer: Many other animals
Warthogs and porcupines move in.
Q7: What can aardvarks do with their nostrils?
Answer: Close them against dust and insects
Hairs filter dirt too.
Q8: What is unusual about aardvark teeth?
Answer: They are peg-like with no enamel
They keep growing.
Q9: What is special about the aardvark's classification?
Answer: It is the only living member of its order
Its order is Tubulidentata.
Q10: Which plant depends on aardvarks to spread seeds?
Answer: The aardvark cucumber
Its fruit grows underground.

The Earth Pig of the African Night

The aardvark lives across Africa south of the Sahara. Its name comes from Afrikaans and means earth pig, though it is not related to pigs. It is the only living member of its own order, Tubulidentata.

At night, aardvarks dig into ant and termite nests with powerful claws and lap up thousands of insects with a long sticky tongue. They can close their nostrils against dust and insects. Their teeth are peg-like, lack enamel and keep growing.

Aardvarks dig burrows that many other animals later use, including warthogs and porcupines. The aardvark cucumber grows its fruit underground, and aardvarks eat it and spread its seeds, a rare partnership.

What This Quiz Teaches

Animal fans will enjoy these questions.

Where aardvarks live
What they eat
How they dig
What makes them unique
How they help other species

Did You Know?

Aardvarks are rarely seen in daylight.
Their ears are long like a rabbit's.
Droughts make them vulnerable.
Leopards and lions hunt them.
They can weigh as much as an adult person.