A Namibian truck driver found an abandoned baby Aardvark hiding next to the wheel of his truck and changed its life forever!
Aardvarks are notoriously shy and private animals, they are nocturnal and spend most of their time in a burrow. Their name is Afrikaans and directly translates to “Earth Pig”.
A truck driver in Namibia was in shock when he found a baby Aardvark hiding near the wheel inside his truck as they are a rare and exotic sight.
After failing to find the aardvarks mother he took the little guy to ZURI Orphanage run by local vet and Founder Dr. Erika de Jager. The Aardvark was about 2 months old and weighed less than 5kg’s.
He required lots of love and attention, he received feedings ever few hours and companionship from the shelter’s rescue dogs, Spokie and Zarah.
Not long after he was introduced to Spokie and Zarah, he became part of their pack, convinced that he too was a dog.
ET would join the dogs on their walk, Dr. Erika de Jager said “he just assumed he was a dog” Dr. Erika became ET’s surrogate mother, feeding him regularly and making sure he had all he needed.
She said “It was love at first sight for me”
ET was released into back into the wild after 5 months of care but still makes sure to pop back in at moms for a visit nearly every evening, for a bowl of his favourite snack, Banana ProNutro.
ZURI Orphanage has recently become home to another baby aardvark named Gertie, who was found wondering alone, sunburnt and dehydrated.
Quickly Dr. Erika took her in and nursed her back to health. Gertie loves sleeping in the dogs bed and bath tub. Gertie still has a lot of growing to do before she can be released.
In the mean time she is playing with her pals and sleeping whenever she can.
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