Aardwolf (Afrikaans, “earth wolf”) :

carnivorous mammal of southern and eastern Africa, closely related to the hyena. The aardwolf stands 45 to 50 cm (18 to 20 in) high at the shoulder, has a body length of 50 to 80 cm (27 to 31 in), and is covered with long, coarse hair and soft underfur. It is light buff in colour, with black bands. At night it leaves its burrow, travelling singly or in a group, to forage for insects, especially termites. When attacked, the aardwolf erects its mane, achieving a formidable appearance, and ejects a foul-smelling fluid from its anal glands. It has weak jaws and small teeth, but is able to use its sharp canine teeth to fight off such enemies as the dog. Towards December, the female aardwolf finds a burrow and bears a litter of one to five young.

Scientific classification:

The aardwolf is classified as Proteles cristatus. It is usually placed in the hyena family, Hyaenidae. Some experts, however, place the aardwolf in a separate family, Protelidae, because of certain anatomical differences between the aardwolf and the hyena. For example, the aardwolf has five toes on its forefeet, whereas the hyena has only four.