i-Aardvark

© Nigel Dennis

Igama

Aardvark [u-Orycteropus afer]

Imbonakalo

i-Aardvark inombombo nempumlo ende. Inomzimba ubude obuyi-110 cm kunye nobude obungama-60 cm ukusuka ezinyawena, kwaye umsila uyi-60-70 cm ubude. Le hagu yasendle inoboya obuqinileyo nobumbala osingabutyheli nangwevurha. Umzimba omncinci, unomgca ophezulu emqolo.
Imilenze enamandla igutyungelwe ngumbala omnyama kwaye imilenze yangaphambili ineenzwane ezine ize eyangemva ibe neenzwane ezintlanu, kwaye zonke zixhotyiswe ngeenzipho ezinde ezisebenzisa ukomba ukutya, kutya oko kuziimbovane kunye nentuku. I-aardvark iphinda isebenzise iiflawu zayo ukuhamba. Intloko inde yaye inciphile oku kwehagu. Ngaphezu koko, ineendlebe ezinkulu.
Umsila uqinile. Into ekhetheke kakhulu ngeAardvark ngamazinyo ayo, angaphantsi kwamanye azizixhobo kunye nezindala zifunyanwa kwiintsini zasemva kuphela. Amazinyo awanamathelanga emhlathini yaye amile oku kweepegs, ngaphezu koko awanayo nengcambu.

Ukutya

Ukutya kwe-Aardvark zizinambuzane, ngokukhethekileyo iimbovane, kunye nentuku. I-Aardvark isisilwanyana esizingela ebusuku kwaye ilandela indledlana yezilwanyana ezityayo ukuze izifumane. Kokukuzingela kwayo, iyawuhamba umgama ozikhilomithat eziyi-16. Le hagu iye igrombe ize iphethule iziduli zeembovane ize izikhothe ngolwimi lwayo oluncangathi nolubude buyi-30 mm.

Ukuzala

I-Aardvark imithat iinyanga eziyi-7 ize ithi yakuzala iyishiye yodwa inzala yayo ihambe iye kuzingela. Amantshotsho ayo ahlala emgxunyeni malunga neeveki ezimbini ngaphambi kokuba aphume. Kwiinyanga eziyi-3, amantshontsho aqala ukutya izityalo aze xa iinyanga ziyi-7 aqale atye izinambuzane. I-Aardvark ikulungela ukukhwelwa xa ineminyaka emibini ubudala.

Apho ifumaneka khona

I-Aardvark ifumaneka kumazantsi eSahara, kwiindawo eziyi-savanna, kunye namahlathi avulekileyo apho umhlaba ulula kwaye ukutya okwaneleyo kunye namanzi afumanekayo.