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An Aardvark Was Born At The Brookfield Zoo

By Geobeats/Brookfield Zoo

“Weighing less than five pounds at birth, the calf gained nearly 10 pounds within weeks after being nursed by mom Jessi and care and support from zoo’s staff.
“They are native to sub-Saharan Africa. Being mostly nocturnal, they hunt for food using their hearing and sense of smell.
“Using their powerful legs, they can traverse miles looking for food. Long noses help them detect the scent of food.
“They mostly eat termites and ants. As soon as they detect food, they use their spoon-shaped claws to dig several feet within seconds. In a single day, they can eat as many as 50,000 – 90,000 insects.
“While digging, their long ears enable them to listen for predators.”



See also:
* Gawker: Welcome To The World, Baby Unsexed Aardvark
* Tribune: Brookfield Zoo Introduces Baby Aardvark
* ABC7 Chicago: Chicago-Area Zoo Heralds Birth Of Aardvark
* Huffington Post Chicago: Adorable photos.

Comments welcome.

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Posted on February 23, 2012