Weight 90-145 lbs. The front feet have four claws and the back have five. The tail is powerful, thick and hairless. An elongated, flexible snout is protected from dust and dirt by a fringe of rough bristles.
Elongated head is topped by extra large ears which fold down.
The almost hairless skin is yellowish gray in color but often darkly stained by the soil pigments encountered while digging for food. Dentition consists of toothless molars which grow throughout their life. Terrestrial, solitary, nocturnal, large eyes with retina containing only cones. Nostrils close up when the aardvark burrows, providing protection from dust, dirt, and attacks by ants or termites. Powerful claws for digging into ground or termite nests.