Carrie Marshall, age 10, of Concord, N.H., for her question:

HOW DID THE AARDVARK RECEIVE ITS NAME?

Aardvark is an African mammal that lives in the ground and eats termites and ants. It has a long snout, but it is not like a pig in any other way. During the 1600s, Dutch settlers in Africa gave the aardvark its name, which means "earth pig."

From its snout to the tip of its tail, an aardvark will measure between four and six feet in length.. It will weigh about 140 pounds.

A thick coat of hair covers the aardvark's thick skin. The large ears look like those of a donkey. Its front legs are short and have four strong claws. The longer hind legs have five claws. The animal rips open the nests of ants and termites with these powerful claws.

Once the ant or termite nest is open, the aardvark catches insects with its long sticky tongue. Some aardvarks have tongues that are 18 inches long.

The aardvark also uses its claws to dig its home. Few animals can dig as fast. In just a few minutes, the aardvark can dig a deep hole and escape from its enemies.

The aardvark sleeps during the day and comes out for food only after dark.