futureaardvarkchestersiu

  The Natandum is the evolved from the Aardvark (O. afer) and has similar appearance to it. Natandum means swimming in Latin, and obviously, this animal has the ability to swim in the swamps and rivers of Africa
 * Kingdom || Animalia ||
 * Phylum || Chordata ||
 * Class || Mammalia ||
 * Superorder || Afrotheria ||
 * Order || Tubulidentata ||
 * Phylum || Orycteropodidae ||
 * Genus || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Orycteropus ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Species || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">O. natandum ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">[[image:natandum_distribution.jpg width="389" height="361" align="left" caption="Distribution of Natandum over Africa"]]
=__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**HABITAT** __=

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">ENVIRONMENT
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The Natandum lives in the southern areas of Africa, like Botswana and Zambia where there are many swamps and rivers such as Okavanko Swamp and Bangweulu Swamp. The land is mainly high plateaus with some hills and mountains. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**RESOURCES** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">There are a sufficient source of vegetation, water and food source for the Natandum in Southern Africa. For example, the papyrus plant that grows in rivers and also other <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">deciduous trees and grass which is edible by the Natandum. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**PREDATORS** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">In Southern Africa, there are five main animals found that are known as the "big five". Two of them are predators of the Natandum which is the [|African Lion] and the [|Leopard]. . However, Hyennas and the Nile Crocodile (refer to crocodile) are also lurking upon the forests and the swamps, which are also huge threats to the natandum. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**CLIMATE** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Rainfall ranges from 500-1400 mm per year, however, the difference between the rainfall season and dry season is evident, as the climate in southern Africa reaches extremes. For example in dry season, some swamps may dry up and in rainfall seasons, floods form in some highlands. Bushfires also occur occasionally, which is one of the minor reasons the Natandum has long legs which is moving quickly across the plains to prevent natural disasters and change in weather.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> =__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**ADAPTATIONS** __=

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATIONS: LIVING ENVIRONMENTS** __
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">One of the most significant features of the Natandum, which is also suggested by its name (natandum meas swims) is that the Natandum is a creature that survives on rivers and swamps, like Lake Bangweulu. There are several advantages of living in swamps. Firstly, the African heat could rise to 48 degrees celsius in the afternoon, and might also increase due to climate change. Resting in the water is one way to cool off and reduce body heat, to reduce the probability to get heat related illnesses. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Another advantage is being hydrated. All animals are dehydrating from the heat of the savannas of Africa, which is why the Natandum drinks the water of rivers such as the Niger Delta and keeps their body hydrated, also another method of preventing heat related diseases. Thirdly, the creature has depended on ants and termites in the past, however, when the Natandum leaves the water, they have to walk a long distance in order to find a food source. Which is why the Natandum developed habits of eating vegetation that grows on swamps such as papyrus. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">There are also many animals that rely on the swamps of Africa to control body temperature, such as the hippopotamus and the African elephant and the [|African buffalo] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE**: The modern Aardvark had stayed in burrows in order to stay cool, however, the land of Africa is being damaged greatly by humans, and over 90% of Africa's original forests have disappeared. However, humans have not damaged swamps greatly yet since the swamps are too dangerous for humans to enter, and this is the main pressure than placed the Natandum in the water creature category.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS: HAIR** __
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Although the modern animal, the Aardvark is similar to the anteater which has longer hair, the Natandum does not. The hair of the natandum is short, thick (as in each strand of hair, not the thickness of coat), but there is very few hair, which creates a thinner layer. This is useful for a number of reasons. Firstly, when the Natandum is swimming, long hair could cause water resistance that is pulling them backwards, therefore, slowing them down and making their escape from predators difficult. Which is why the short and thick hair makes the body of the Natandum smoother, less water resistance is acting on its body and increasing their speed. Another advantage for having a think sheet of hair is again, surviving the heat of Africa. When the natandum is not near a water source, their thin sheet of hair lets the body release more heat, resulting in the body temperature decreasing. This would protect the Natandum from heat related diseases which is very likely to happen in the heat of the Savannas. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE:** The main environmental pressure involved is climate change and the increasing temperature of Africa. The short hair enables the Natandum to cool down and the other pressure that caused the Natandum to develop smooth hair is its new adaptation to swamps and rivers.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**STRUCTURAL ADAPTATIONS: LEGS** __
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Although the Aardvark had strong limbs to defend themselves and to dig into mounds of termites, however, they were relatively short, which is a problem when the creature is running and escaping from fast animals like the cheetah or lions. This is why the Natandum has longer legs, which increasing their running speed and their flexibility. The increase in size also gives them more power when fighting against fierce predators such as lions and hyenas. This is important as their survival on the dangerous African plains depend on a good defense. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE**: As they have moved south, the Natandum experiences harsh weathers and also many mountains. Their longs legs give them strength to climb mountains. Another pressure are predators. In order to fight predators more effectively, they need more power in their legs, therefore, longer legs provide better defense.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**STRUCTURAL ADAPTATIONS: CLAWS** __
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">As mentioned before, the Natandum enters the swamps of Africa for water consumption and also to rest. However, if a predators approaches them in the water for example the fresh water crocodile, they have to swim. Their webs which are similar to the webs of ducks and also platypus creates more water resistance after each kick, which helps the creature accelerate when running in water. As a result of this, the Natandum swims at a speed of 15 kilometres per hour, while the crocodile only swims at a maximum speed of 10 kilometres an hour. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE:** The most obvious environmental pressure is its new adaptation to resting in rivers and swamps. The webbed feet decreases their chance from being eaten by predators which roam under the swamps.

===<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**__STRUCTURAL ADAPTATIONS: TEETH__** === <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">As shown in the illustration in the right, the Natandum had developed sharper teeth over the past centuries.The modern aardvark had blunt teeth on the back of its jaw which has the function to crush the exoskeleton of termites. However, the Natandum has sharp teeth that covers the entire jaw, and has the power to rip flesh off an animal. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE:** The reason the sharp teeth developed is because humans are destroying the land of Africa, thus, there are less vegetation growing on land and there are also less ants and termites building their mounds on land. If the Natandum could not find a termite or ant mound, they could enter a swamp or river and eat vegetation that is growing from it for example, the paper reed. Their sharp teeth enables them to rip leaves and chew roots of stronger plants and also in a emergency situation, serve as a defence when fighting with fearce predators.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**REFERENCE**

 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">African Online. (2011). //Africa: Climate//. Retrieved June 18, 2011, from African Online: http://www.africanaonline.com/2010/08/africa-climate/
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">BBC. (2011). //Botswana Country Profile//. Retrieved June 17, 2011, from BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1068674.stm
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Chapman, L. J. (2001). //Wetlands of Africa.// Netherlands: Backhuys Publisher.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">CIA. (2011, June 14). //World Factbook: Zambia//. Retrieved June 19, 2011, from Central Intelligence Agency: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/za.html
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">SA Venues. (2011). //Wildlife//. Retrieved June 18, 2011, from SA Venues: http://www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/