The 21 Basic Mammal Groups
The 21 Basic Mammal Group caches were placed for HNY21.
Aardvarks (Order Tubulidentata)
The aardvark is the only living species in order Tubulidentata. This mammal is characterized by its long snout, arched back, and coarse fur. Its diet consists primarily of ants and termites, which it procures by tearing open insect nests with its long claws. Aardvarks live in the savannas, woodlands, and grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa. Their range extends from southern Egypt to the Cape of Good Hope, on the southernmost tip of the continent. The closest living relatives of the aardvark are even-toed hoofed mammals and (somewhat surprisingly) whales.