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Aardvark Moved to Near Threatened in South Africa–Lesotho–Eswatini Red List

Wild southern aardvark in South Africa
Conservation · Population & status

The aardvark (Orycteropus afer) has been moved from Least Concern to Near Threatened in the 2025 Regional Mammal Red List for South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, launched on 21 January 2026. The category applies only within those three countries and does not represent a change to the species’ global IUCN Red List status.

The revised list assessed 336 mammal taxa, with 11 moved to higher risk categories. For aardvark, the category change is based on an inferred population reduction: evidence that the species’ overall distribution has declined and its habitat quality has deteriorated. The assessment links this to climate change and climate-related droughts that have reduced the availability of insect prey. It does not report a new regional census or a measured percentage decline in aardvark numbers.

Climate-related local declines drove the concern

This concern is consistent with the previous regional assessment, which already noted growing evidence that climate change was contributing to local declines and warned that the species could qualify as Near Threatened if those pressures continued. Aardvarks depend heavily on ants and termites, so prolonged drought can affect them indirectly by reducing the prey base on which they rely.

Near Threatened is not one of the IUCN categories classified as threatened with extinction, but it indicates that the species is close to meeting the criteria for a threatened category within the regional assessment area. The 2025 reassessment therefore represents a clear worsening of the regional conservation picture without implying that aardvark is globally Near Threatened.

Sources and image credit

  1. Endangered Wildlife Trust & South African National Biodiversity Institute. (2026). Fact sheet: The 2025 Regional Mammal Red List of South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho.Primary regional fact sheet. Lists Orycteropus afer as uplisted from Least Concern to Near Threatened and gives the species-specific reason: inferred population reduction from declining overall distribution and habitat quality due to climate change and climate-related droughts affecting insect prey availability.
  2. Endangered Wildlife Trust. (2026, January 21). Eleven species uplisted in 2025 Regional Mammal Red List of Threatened Species.Official launch press release confirming the 21 January release, 336 assessed taxa, 11 uplisted mammals and the regional scope of the assessment.
  3. Endangered Wildlife Trust & South African National Biodiversity Institute. (2026). Mammal Red List: About the 2025 regional Mammal Red List.Primary landing page for the revised regional mammal assessment.

Image: Nick Helme — wild southern aardvark (Orycteropus afer afer) photographed in South Africa on 11 May 2011; iNaturalist field observation from within the regional Red List assessment area. Representative image for this story; not presented as an animal or scene from the reported study or event. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

About this content: This story was produced with AI assistance within an editorial workflow developed by Wildlife Vagabond. Editorial responsibility remains with Wildlife Vagabond.How AI is used

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