AfriCat Aardvark Research Project

AfriCat's Aardvark Research Project 

Can you help? with no tourism in Namibia there is no income to support the research projects 

The aardvark is a very interesting nocturnal animal living in sub Saharan Africa. Not often seen, even by those living and working in the African bush. They live in borrows and eats ants and termites. An aardvark has a large tail a bit like a kangaroo, a nose a bit like a pig with kind of rabbit ears and is about the size of a badger.  The aardvark is an ecosystem engineer making it a keystone species. Without the borrows dug by aardvarks many other species would struggle as they take over the borrows and the termite/ant populations would get out of control. The worrying thing is that aardvarks are having a tough time in drought conditions and droughts are increasing due to the impact of our changing climate. A new study is getting underway at Okonjima the home of the AfriCat Foundation in Namibia to look at the how the aardvark is adapting to cope with changing weather patterns. It is hoped that such studies will help with ideas for how to support the aardvarks in the wild. Donations will enable the team to continue to pay for vital supplies like petrol, batteries, the paravet's time and drug costs if necessary as well as relevetn equipment and staff time. A Namibian student will be working under Dr Sarah Edwards guidance gathering data and supporting the project. Interesting and challenging work being in the African bush at night with other predators out looking for their dinner too!