New Arrival: Aardvark Born at Berlin Zoo

The Berlin Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a new aardvark, affectionately nicknamed a "little cave goblin on four paws." The baby aardvark was born on July 11, 2026, to parents Memphis, aged 7, and Kito, aged 10. This is the second offspring for the pair, who also welcomed Frieda last year.

According to Zoo Director Andreas Knieriem, the young aardvark is developing "very well" and has already reached a weight of three kilograms. The sex of the newborn has not yet been definitively determined. Visitors may have the chance to see the calf making its tentative explorations outside the burrow in the coming days, though it currently spends most of its time inside.

Aardvarks are native to the sub-Saharan regions of Africa. These nocturnal and solitary animals are characterized by their large, floppy ears and a long snout, which can extend up to 25 centimeters. They use their impressive tongues to rapidly lick up termites and ants, their primary food source. Aardvarks possess a unique ability to close their nostrils while digging, preventing dirt from entering their nasal passages.

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