CONSERVATION FACT SHEET

Aardvark (Tubulidentata)

Species (1): Red List status (2016) Orycteropus afer aardvark Least Concern

Main threats and Habitat loss due to agriculture and settlement, including pressures: deforestation in certain parts of Africa such as the DRC. Application of pesticides in agriculture may affect the aardvark´s food resource (ants & termites). Human-wildlife conflict (killed by farmers as a perceived nuisance, due to damage to fields). Exploitation for meat in some countries (e.g. DRC, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia).

Main conservation and research action required

Main Actions Details/Locations Estimated cost (US$) 2016 - 2020 Develop standardized Develop and test monitoring US$ 30,000 monitoring protocols for protocols (e.g. tagging methods aardvark to track population and equipment, camera trapping trends over time and produce in target areas, a cellphone app to more data for Red List report sightings) assessments.

Conduct surveys to Range wide, but survey priorities determine distribution and include: abundance, combined with a  Central DRC (e.g. Lomami US$ 45,000/year (PhD) genetic study to facilitate a NP) taxonomic revision and to  Senegal US$ 30,000 verify species diversity.  Karoo and/or Kalahari (to US$ 70,000/year gain understanding of the (Postdoctoral impact of climate change on researcher) aardvark populations living at the edge of the species distribution)  East and Southern Africa (as US$ 30,000 (research test regions for the App and assistant to gather and its use by tourists) manage the data) Conduct genetic analyses in US$ 45,000/year (PhD) Central DRC (e.g. Lomami NP) Train personnel to capture and US$ 10,000 analyse data. Aardvark Conservation Fact Sheet (Aug 2016) www.afrotheria.net

Study to establish the level Working with colleagues in US$ 10,000 (primarily and impact of bushmeat Benin, DRC and Ghana, survey for transport costs) hunting on aardvark bushmeat markets and estimate populations. level of aardvark meat trade

Outreach programme to raise Create an aardvark taskforce and US$ 20,000 awareness of the importance education pack that could be used of the aardvark to African in schools and community groups ecosystems as an “environ- (including school materials, mental engineer” and its cellphone app, etc). emblematic role as an Range wide, but priorities include African flagship species. West and Central Africa where settlement and aardvark distribution are the most at risk of overlapping.

Compiler and contact for more information: Thomas Lehmann ([email protected])

Aardvark Conservation Fact Sheet (Aug 2016) www.afrotheria.net