earth pig

plural earth pigs · alternative earth-pig · alternative earthpig

1. nonstandardrareThe aardvark.

   The curious ant-eaters (earth pigs and pangolins) are probably relics of an earlier fauna, which have survived owing to their nocturnal habits.

   1893, Frederick Courteney Selous, Travel and Adventure in South-East Africa

   4 more examples

   In the high grassy plateaus, with their isolated groups of bushy shrubs, we find, together with the earth pigs and armadilloes mentioned above, two kinds of gazelles (Cephalophus mergens and Calotragus campestris).

   1881, Land, sea and sky; or, Wonders of life and nature

   It may be in only an earth pig, or it may be in a leopard, and, quite providentially for the medical profession no layman can see his own soul — it is not as if it were connected with all earth pigs, or all leopards, as the case may be, but it is in one particular earth pig or leopard or other animal — so recourse must be had to medical aid when anything goes wrong with it.

   1949, Harold Evans, Men in the Tropics: A Colonial Anthology, page 64

   Aardvarks also eat ants. African natives kill aardvarks to eat. But these “earth pigs” are not easy to catch. Although they look clumsy, they can run fast. They can bury themselves in the ground fast, too.

   1959, Bertha Morris Parker, THE GOLDEN BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA

   Bahuchet (1985), who researched the Aka living in Central Africa, cites the earth pig, flying squirrel, and leopard as examples of avoided food animals.

   2012, Bonnie L. Hewlett, Adolescent Identity: Evolutionary, Cultural and Developmental Perspectives

   Synonyms: earthhog