For #NationalAardvarkWeek:
Aardvarks by Robert Jacob Gordon (Dutch, 1743-1795), from The Gordon African Collection, 4 albums of natural history illustrations made during 4 expeditions to the Cape Colony (South Africa) from 1777-86. Now in the Rijksmuseum collection.

https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/RP-T-1914-17-215
https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/RP-T-1914-17-234
https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/RP-T-1914-17-235
https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/RP-T-1914-17-236

#AardvarksAareAawesome

#Aardvarks can not only run fast to escape, but can dig fast too - up to about .6 m/2 ft per 15 seconds! That escape hole in the video above was already there though - they have auxillary burrows throughout their home range in addition to their main home. Good planning! :)
#NationalAardvarkWeek #AardvarksAareAawesome

Here's the direct link to the video embedded in the story above; the chase starts about 1:20 in:
https://youtu.be/ST-b-ygAqxA
#NationalAardvarkWeek #AardvarksAareAawesome

#NationalAardvarkWeek insult from Brehm's Life of Animals: Vol. 1, Mammalia, 1895: "Here is one of the most clumsy, odd looking animals in the world." Wow, rude! #AardvarksAareAawesome and actually quite swift & agile and can defend themselves well - see thread below!
Digitized via BHL: https://flic.kr/p/atGEHQ

Here is a one-of-a-kind piece from #Fabergé for #NationalAardvarkWeek: this lovely little agate #aardvark with rose diamond eyes c. 1910 was bought by King George V in 1914 from Fabergé's London branch for £18. It's now in the Royal Collection Trust:https://rct.uk/collection/40471/aardvark
#AardvarksAareAawesome

It's #NationalAardvarkWeek! Besides being one of my favorite #mammals, it's also the most evolutionarily distinct one (more on that next). Stay tuned for more #aardvark art and info!😎#AardvarksAareAawesome
this image: "Erdferkel," Plate 14 in _Brehms thierleben, allgemeine kunde des thierreichs_, 1876-9.
BHL: https://flic.kr/p/dHvqix