Aardvark or anteater?
How to tell them apart
The aardvark is sometimes called an anteater, but it isn’t related to the South American anteaters.
Quick answers
They differ on 3 of the 8 quick answers: dangerous, awake when, do people eat it.
| Question | Aardvark | Anteater |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Mammal | Mammal |
| Carnivore? | Insects only | Insects only |
| Dangerous? differs | No | Can be |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? differs | Night | Day & night |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? | No | No |
| Do people eat it? differs | In places | No |
At a glance
| Question | Aardvark | Anteater |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | Africa | South America, Central America |
| Habitat differs | Grassland, Scrub, Forest | Grassland, Rainforest, Forest |
| Size | Medium | Medium |
| Length differs | 100–158 cm | 35 cm (silky anteater) to 1.8 m (giant anteater, with tail) |
| Weight differs | 40–82 kg | 18–39 kg (giant anteater) |
| Legs | 4 | 4 |
| Covered in differs | Skin | Fur |
| Lives | Alone | Alone |
| Lives for differs | 18–23 years | 14–16 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims | Yes | Yes |
| Lays eggs | No | No |
About each
Aardvark
A burrowing, nocturnal African mammal that digs out ants and termites with powerful claws and collects them with a long, sticky tongue. It’s the only living member of its order, related to elephants and manatees.
Everything on the aardvark page
Anteater
Four species of toothless mammals that eat ants and termites, related to sloths: the giant anteater, the silky anteater and two tamanduas. Pangolins, aardvarks and echidnas are sometimes called anteaters but aren’t related.
Everything on the anteater page
Sources
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Side by side.