University of Pretoria (UP) student Jordan Siebert is hoping her PhD research will highlight new information on the ecological importance of aardvark burrows in conservation, specifically within the agricultural industry.

Siebert’s research is supervised by Prof Natalie Haussmann from UP’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and funded through the Rufford Foundation's Small Grants Programme, which funds conservation research for early career researchers. The pair describe it as important research, aimed at reconciling food security and conservation, two of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2 – Zero Hunger and SDG 15 – Life on Land).

Prof Haussmann says this is not the first study to focus on the aardvark that she has supervised, but it is one of only a handful of similar studies that contain an agricultural approach. She has supervised several honours and master’s research projects that have focussed on similar topics. “The long-term focus is on whether (and how) we can facilitate the functioning of agricultural landscapes as conservation spaces,” she explains.

Siebert says she’s always been drawn to the intersection of conservation and human-modified landscapes, especially how to better integrate biodiversity protection into working environments, such as farmland. “With agricultural expansion placing increasing pressure on natural ecosystems, I believe it is crucial to understand whether conservation objectives can be achieved alongside productive land use. This project investigates whether agricultural areas – particularly in grassland environments – can serve as viable conservation spaces. In grassland biomes that are particularly under threat, finding ways to optimise the biodiversity value of human-managed systems is increasingly important.”

Her research examines aardvark burrows, specifically how they provide ecological refuge, including refuge to other species of animals; how the burrows in question improve soil conditions for other land-dwelling species; and how these burrows provide moderated microclimates. “Their burrows provide critical resources that support broader biodiversity, making them ideal focal points for exploring conservation opportunities in agricultural landscapes,” she explains.

More importantly, her research aims to promote more sustainable practices in the agricultural sector – including making use of wildlife-friendly fences. The importance of these shy animals and the role that their burrows play in sustaining biodiversity and in maintaining an ecologically healthy environment is often overlooked – quite literally out of sight and out of mind.

By examining the effects that aardvark burrows have on the environment and broader ecology, Siebert hopes her research will show how agricultural landscapes can complement conservation areas – two industries that have long been at odds with each other due to conflicting interests.

“Aardvarks are underappreciated ecosystem engineers. Their burrows create thermal refuges, improve soil aeration, and offer shelter to many other species – including several of conservation concern. In southern Africa, they are widespread across grassland and savanna systems, yet remain elusive due to their nocturnal behaviour. Unlike more well-known engineers like elephants, aardvarks often fly under the radar in conservation discussions. Aardvarks generally do not damage crops, but their burrows can occasionally cause localised issues. For example, they may dig beneath farm roads, which can compromise road structure, or create burrows in areas where livestock might accidentally step in and injure themselves. However, these incidents are relatively infrequent and manageable.”

However, in order to investigate whether agricultural landscapes can serve as wildlife conservation spaces as well, or at the very least complement each other, Siebert’s research requires a collective effort by human participants. While one part of the study takes place in a protected area with relatively untransformed habitats, another part needs to take place on agricultural land if the study is to achieve its goal.

Local farmers and farm labourers will be instrumental in locating aardvark burrows on agricultural land and will be needed in order to install monitoring cameras near the burrows in question. They will also be trained on how to identify species that make use of burrows, which are also key to the success of this study.

The overall aim of this study is to reconcile the food security and conservation sectors, and to inform sustainable land management practices, which includes the conservation of threatened habitats and threatened animal species. Siebert’s research could not only reconcile these two sectors, but also holds the potential to influence agricultural policies and practices.

Farmers who would like to participate in this research can contact Prof Natalie Haussmann at [email protected].