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Quick Take

• Aardvarks can run nearly as fast as Usain Bolt, reaching up to 26 mph, just two miles per hour slower than the world’s fastest human sprinter.

• When speed isn’t enough, aardvarks can dig a two-foot escape tunnel in just 15 seconds, making them one of Africa’s most effective escape artists.

• Hyenas are pursuit predators with serious stamina, capable of hitting 37 mph and sustaining a chase for several kilometers, which is why the aardvark’s vanishing act is so remarkable.

It’s safe to say that hyenas don’t have many friends throughout the animal kingdom. These creatures are known for stealing food and being completely obnoxious to other wildlife. Several animals avoid hyenas altogether, and some even outrun them for survival.

Check Out The High-Speed Chase

This video from the popular wildlife YouTube channel Latest Sightings starts with a lone aardvark — sometimes called an “earth pig,” a nod to its pig-like snout and burrowing habits — sniffing around for termite mounds. With their powerful front claws, aardvarks dig into termite mounds and ant nests and use their long, sticky tongues to slurp up their meal. Though they are primarily nocturnal, aardvarks will occasionally venture out during daylight hours, which is what made this particular sighting so unusual.

As the hunt for food distracts the animal, the safari-goers spot a hyena in the distance. In fact, there’s a clan of hyenas — the correct term for a hyena group — walking slowly toward the aardvark.

In the blink of an eye, the hyenas kick into full gear and head straight for the aardvark. Just as quickly, the target bursts in the opposite direction, hoping to outrun the hungry hunters.

Suddenly, it appears as if the aardvark has tripped, making a cloud of sand rise and distracting the hyena. In reality, the quick-thinking aardvark dove into an underground tunnel, leaving the hyena confused with a growling stomach.

A comment on the video reads: “Who knew they could run like that!? Or find the hole with such precision. Absolute genius.”

The footage continues with the hyena attempting to paw at the hole in hopes of digging its target out. Alas, it gives up and will likely try to steal from a lion in order to eat. The tourists are shocked that the aardvark was able to escape.

How Fast Are Aardvarks?

Aardvarks may look ungainly, but don’t let that fool you. The retired Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt was once clocked at nearly 28 miles per hour. An aardvark can reportedly accelerate to 26 miles per hour an impressive turn of speed for a burrowing insect-eater. And when running isn’t enough, they have another trick up their sleeve: aardvarks can dig a hole at a rate of 2 feet in just 15 seconds.

Aardvarks are most active at night and tend to live alone. During the day, they sleep curled up in a ball in their burrows. Even though they are nocturnal, they sometimes come out during the day to sun themselves, which is likely what was happening in this video.

One popular misconception is that aardvarks are related to anteaters. They are not. The aardvark is the only living member of the genus Orycteropus, the family Orycteropodidae, and the order Tubulidentata. The aardvark is an afrotherian — a clade that also includes elephants, manatees, and hyraxes.

Surprisingly, hyenas aren’t the aardvark’s only concern. Lions, leopards, hyenas, and large snakes — most notably pythons — are the main predators of aardvarks.

How Fast Are Hyenas?

While hyenas are often thought of as scavengers, they are capable and active hunters — especially spotted hyenas.

Spotted hyenas can reach at least 60 km/h (37 mph), and their relatives aren’t far behind. Top speed isn’t the full story, though — hyenas boast impressive endurance and can keep a fast pace for several kilometers without tiring. In social groups known as clans, which can consist of up to 80 individuals, teamwork plays a vital role in how effectively these animals hunt.

Had the aardvark not found that tunnel so quickly, the outcome could have been very different.

Is It Normal Behavior for Hyenas to Target Aardvarks?

The camera footage is rare, as there are not many documented instances of hyenas hunting aardvarks. The main evidence researchers have found comes from studying hyena scat. However, hyenas are more prone to target larger prey while hunting in clans, including wildebeests, zebras, Cape buffalo, and juvenile rhinos.

The aardvark is nocturnal, usually sleeping safely underground during daylight hours. The main predators an aardvark must watch out for are leopards, lions, African wild dogs, and African rock pythons — a large constrictor native to sub-Saharan Africa that uses ambush techniques to capture prey. (Note: reticulated pythons, sometimes incorrectly cited in this context, are a Southeast Asian species and are not found in aardvark habitat.)

The aardvark’s greatest asset isn’t its speed. In less than a minute, an aardvark can create a hole big enough for it to hide in. As this video proves, sometimes the best escape isn’t outrunning your predator — it’s disappearing right out from under them.

Watch the Video

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The post This Aardvark Just Pulled Off One of the Most Genius Escapes Ever appeared first on A-Z Animals.