How many insects might an adult aardvark consume in a single foraging session?
Answer
Tens of thousands
The volume of invertebrate biomass an adult aardvark processes nightly is quite staggering, indicating they are highly efficient processors rather than casual grazers. A single foraging session can result in the consumption of tens of thousands of insects, primarily ants and termites. This massive intake is essential for sustaining the animal's energy requirements, especially considering the significant effort involved in locating, excavating, and consuming subterranean colonies. This sheer volume underscores why deviations from this core diet are almost negligible, as other food sources would likely not provide the necessary caloric density required for survival.
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