Aardvark  (Orycteropus afer)

Although overall, due to its widespread distribution, the global population of the aardvark is not considered to be threatened, in some areas numbers have been reduced as a result of human activities (1). Certain populations in eastern, central and western Africa are thought to be declining, as a growing human population destroys suitable habitat and hunts the aardvark for its meat. The skin, claws and teeth are also used to make bracelets, charms and curios (1), and even the aardvark’s bristly hair is reportedly sometimes reduced to a powder and regarded as a potent poison when added to the local beer (3).

Aardvark habitat is most often lost to agriculture (1), with intensive crop farming resulting in a decline in aardvark numbers (3). However, not all agriculture has a negative impact on the aardvark; cattle herding may actually benefit this species, as cattle-trampled ground creates the right conditions for termites (3). Conflict may also arise when agriculture encroaches onto aardvark habitat, as burrows can damage farming equipment, roads, dam walls, and fences, and the aardvark may be persecuted by farmers as a result (5) (6). Ironically, in areas where the aardvark and other insect-eating animals have been exterminated, pasture and cereal crops have suffered massive damage from termites (5).

Throughout its vast range, the aardvark occurs in a number of protected areas (1). Aside from this, the aardvark is not believed to be in any need of conservation action (1). The aardvark plays such a vital role in many ecosystems, creating burrows for other animals and even limiting the enormous damage that termites can inflict on our crops (5), that hopefully the aardvark will remain unthreatened for the foreseeable future.