How big does a Aardvark get? Here is an overview over the average adult age:
A grown Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) reaches an average size of 1.26 meter (4′ 2″).
When born, they have an average size of 0 cm (0′ 0″). During their lifetime of about 24 years, they grow from 1.9 kg (4.19 lbs) to 56.85 kg (125.33 lbs). Talking about reproduction, Aardvarks have 1 babies about 1 times per year. The Aardvark (genus: Orycteropus) is a member of the family Orycteropodidae.
As a reference: Humans reach an average body size of 1.65m (5′ 5″) while carrying 62 kg (137 lbs). A human woman is pregnant for 280 days (40 weeks) and on average become 75 years old.
The aardvark ( ARD-vark; Orycteropus afer) is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa. It is the only living species of the order Tubulidentata, although other prehistoric species and genera of Tubulidentata are known. Unlike other insectivores, it has a long pig-like snout, which is used to sniff out food. It roams over most of the southern two-thirds of the African continent, avoiding areas that are mainly rocky. A nocturnal feeder, it subsists on ants and termites, which it will dig out of their hills using its sharp claws and powerful legs. It also digs to create burrows in which to live and rear its young. It receives a “least concern” rating from the IUCN, although its numbers seem to be decreasing.Aardvarks are afrotheres, a clade which also includes elephants, manatees, and hyraxes.
Animals with the same size as a Aardvark
Not that size really matters, but it makes things comparable. So here are a couple of animals that are as big as Aardvark:
- Southern reedbuck with a size of 1.51 meter (5′ 0″)
- Snow leopard with a size of 1.15 meter (3′ 10″)
- Javan warty pig with a size of 1.25 meter (4′ 2″)
- Arabian tahr with a size of 1.08 meter (3′ 7″)
- Dall sheep with a size of 1.42 meter (4′ 8″)
- Bornean bearded pig with a size of 1.35 meter (4′ 6″)
- Philippine warty pig with a size of 1.35 meter (4′ 6″)
- Gerenuk with a size of 1.5 meter (5′ 0″)
- Giant panda with a size of 1.35 meter (4′ 6″)
- Giant otter with a size of 1.14 meter (3′ 9″)
Animals with the same litter size as a Aardvark
Here is a list of animals that have the same number of babies per litter (1) as a Aardvark:
- Sri Lankan spotted chevrotain
- Common vampire bat
- Herbert River ringtail possum
- Lichtenstein’s hartebeest
- Red-shanked douc
- Unadorned rock-wallaby
- Pacarana
- Dryas monkey
- Philippine pygmy squirrel
- Ring-tailed vontsira
Animals with the same life expectancy as a Aardvark
Completely different animals, but becoming as old as a Aardvark:
- Bald uakari with an average maximal age of 27 years
- Northern viscacha with an average maximal age of 19.5 years
- Red-tailed monkey with an average maximal age of 28.25 years
- Daubenton’s bat with an average maximal age of 28 years
- Bechstein’s bat with an average maximal age of 21 years
- Purple-faced langur with an average maximal age of 23 years
- Red-shanked douc with an average maximal age of 25 years
- Large Indian civet with an average maximal age of 20 years
- Sable antelope with an average maximal age of 22.25 years
- Wild boar with an average maximal age of 21 years
Animals with the same weight as a Aardvark
As a comparison, here are some other animals that weight as much as the Orycteropus afer:
- Visayan spotted deer with a weight of 46.48 kilos (102.47 lbs)
- Vicuña with a weight of 47.5 kilos (104.72 lbs)
- Urial with a weight of 51.8 kilos (114.2 lbs)
- Pronghorn with a weight of 47.18 kilos (104.01 lbs)
- Spectacled porpoise with a weight of 65 kilos (143.3 lbs)
- Queen of Sheba’s gazelle with a weight of 48.5 kilos (106.92 lbs)
- Australophocaena dioptrica with a weight of 65 kilos (143.3 lbs)
- Northern fur seal with a weight of 55.58 kilos (122.53 lbs)
- Grant’s gazelle with a weight of 55.46 kilos (122.27 lbs)
- Sika deer with a weight of 53 kilos (116.84 lbs)