A baby Aardvark born last summer at the Prague Zoo recently explored his outdoor enclosure for the first time with his mother, Kvida.

Photo Credit:  Prague Zoo

The baby, named Kito, munched on some tasty mealworms – an Aardvark favorite – during his big adventure.  Kito’s expedition took place on a recent sunny winter day, and keepers report that Kito was very curious about his surroundings.  He climbed over logs and squeezed in between rocks, testing his skills.  Weighing nearly 50 pounds, Kito is strong and healthy. In the wild, baby Aardvarks remain with their mothers for about a year before moving off to live on their own. 

Aardvarks are native to Africa, where they emerge from burrows at night to feed on ants and termites.  They break open termite mounds using powerful font legs, and insects are taken up using their long, sticky tongue.   Up to 50,000 insects can be consumed in one night.

At this time, Aardvarks are not under threat, and so are listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.