Why Aadvarks Are Important….to Cartoonists
February 26th, 2008Londons Times Cartoons is loaded with animal images, but none is more popular and funny than the aardvark. Aardvark Dentistry is the name of one of their most classic favorites and the cartoonist has decided to do a little research on the aardvark. This is the fascinating information he found. If you are looking for aardvarks, you need to go south of the Sahara Desert in Africa. “Earth Pig” is what the Africans call them, and, in fact, the name ardvark means “earth pig”. So, makes sense to me. Their body somewhat resembles a pig which probably has a lot to do with that. But why they call them earth pigs, since regular pigs do not fly (to my knowledge) is beyond me. Their tails resemble a kangaroo’s and ears like a rabbit. Aardvarks stay inside, whatever that is during the day.
These odd creatures dig deep holes and sleep in daylight. since the sun is so hot in that part of the world, and, only come out at night. At sundown, the aardvark goes on its hunt for it’s favorite cuisine, termites. It will also eat ants, but prefers termites, and of course, wouldn’t you? Their hunting and gathering of this delicacy is rather systematic. It digs through the hard shell of a mound with its front claws and with its long sticky tongue, eats what is in the mound, hopefully termites. It has the ability to close its nostrils preventing insects and dust from getting in its nostrils,and has a very thick skin which prevents biting their main entrees.
The female species of aardvarks typically give birth to one newborn each year. Baby aardvarks with their mother for about six months before moving out and digging their own burrows, which can be extensive dwellings with many multiple doorways. Oddly enough, almost as odd as the aardvark itself, is the fact that there is a growing number of hobbiest and collectors interested in aardvark gifts and collectibles. Against all odds, one of Londons Times most popular cartoons and gift items is the one regarding an aardvark. Like cows during the days of The Far Side, it appears people, especially cartoon fanatics are enjoying the aardvark in a similar fashion.
