Plan You Visit
Find out how to make the most of your trip and book tickets here.
Book a Hotel!
Find the perfect place to stay during your visit to Edinburgh and the Zoo!
Become a Member
Our membership package comes with lots of benefits including a year's unlimited free entry to both our parks!
You can join by post, phone or even today on the website.
| Common Name: | Aardwolf | Family: | Hyena |
| Latin Name: | Proteles cristata | Diet: | Carnivore |
| Type: | Mammal | Habitat: | Grasslands |
| Native To: | Africa | Social Unit: | Individual |
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least concern |
Aardwolf at Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo has two aardwolves. They both came to us from the Rare Species Conservation Centre (RSCC) in Kent at the end of August 2010. We have one male who was born in January 2009, and one female who was born in December 2009. They are currently being kept separate as they have not yet met. They will be gradually introduced to each other once they have settled into their new home.
Where it can be found at Edinburgh Zoo
Our two aardwolves can be found in the small carnivore house, next to the sun bear enclosure.
Aardwolf in the wild
The aardwolf (Proteles cristata) is one of the smaller members of the hyena family. It looks similar to the hyena but is less than half the size and has many more stripes on its coat. Once fully grown they 
usually range from 85cm to 1.05m in length, and weigh between 8 and 10kg. They are native to Eastern and Southern Africa and inhabit grassy, open plains and low rocky ground. The aardwolf can be found in areas inhabited by termites as this is their main food source.
Aardwolves often forage for termites on their own, licking them up with their broad, flat and sticky tongue. They can consume up to 200,000 of the insects in one night! Despite feeding alone, they usually live in pairs, remaining with the same partner. The aardwolf is a nocturnal creature, mainly due to its prey being most active at night.
The largest threat to aardwolves in the wild is accidental poisoning from sprays used to protect crops from locusts. In addition, many farmers used to believe that aardwolves were responsible for killing their livestock. However this perception has thankfully changed as we find out more about these creatures and their diets.
IUCN Red List category: Least concern
Aardwolf photo by
Adopt an Aardwolf
A great way to support RZSS – buy it for yourself or as a gift for the animal lover in your life!
View our other animal profiles: