Aard-wolf

Aard-wolf ('earth-wolf'; Proteles Lalandii), a South African carnivore, belonging to a sub-family of Hyænidae. It is fox-like in size and habit, but has longer ears and a less bushy tail. It resembles a hyæna in its sloping back, in its colour, markings, and dorsal mane, but has five toes on the fore feet, and the head is much more pointed and civet-like. The back teeth are small and simple, and there is no carnassial or special cutting-tooth. The strong, blunt claws are, as usual, non-retractile. It feeds on carrion, white ants, larvæ, &c., but not on living vertebrates. It is timid and nocturnal in its habits, social but quarrelsome in its life, and tolerably swift in its pace, though usually trusting rather to burrowing than to flight. Like the Hyænas, the Aard-wolves habitually fight among themselves. See CARNIVORA, CIVET, HYÆNA.