The aardwolf is the only living hyena species that mainly eats termites. Its name means “earth wolf” in Afrikaans and Dutch, but it is neither a wolf nor an anteater; it is a specialized member of the hyena family, Hyaenidae.
Aardwolves feed chiefly on termites, especially species of Trinervitermes. They use a long, sticky tongue to collect insects from the surface of termite mounds and can consume thousands in one night. Unlike bone-crushing hyenas, aardwolves have relatively weak jaws and teeth suited to their insect-based diet.
Aardwolves are mostly nocturnal and live in dry grasslands and open woodland in eastern and southern Africa. They shelter in burrows, often using abandoned aardvark holes, though they can dig and modify dens themselves. Their striped coats and mane can make them look like small hyenas, but their quiet, insectivorous lifestyle is very different from that of spotted hyenas.