If you’re a wildlife enthusiast or just fascinated by the world around us, you may have seen or heard of animals that look similar to each other. These creatures might be related in some way or simply share a similar look, but they are definitely not the same species. This is the case with anteaters and aardvarks. These mammals seem quite similar and it might be easy to mistake them for the same species because of their snout shape and diet. However, a closer look at these two animals reveals that they are in different families and in fact, belong to completely different orders.
The anteater vs aardvark is found in the African grasslands and savannas. It is a mammal that has a very stocky body covered with coarse, yellowish-brown fur. It sleeps during the daytime and is active at night. They are omnivores and feed on ants, termites, ground beetle pupae, and other insects and fruits. They have unique papillae on the top of their mouth that help them chew and digest their food. They also have long teeth that grow continuously.
Anteaters and Aardvarks: A Nose-to-Tail Comparison
The anteater on the other hand, is native to Central and South America. It is a mammal that is divided into 4 different species, the Giant anteater, Southern anteater, Silky anteater, and Tamandua anteater. It is an insect-eating mammal and it primarily eats ants and termites. It has a distinctive long snout that looks like a pig’s snout, and it is adapted for digging. It has very strong claws that are a mixture of hooves and true nails. Its cheeks have specialized columns of teeth that grow continuously, and it also has a gizzard-like stomach to grind the food it swallows.
… Read More