The Aardvark: Africa's Most Elusive Night Creature

Experienced safari guides with decades in the bush will tell you that an aardvark sighting is special. Not because aardvarks are rare — they're actually widespread across sub-Saharan Africa — but because they're almost entirely nocturnal, secretive, and spend their days underground. Spotting one is genuinely a matter of luck and timing, which makes it all the more memorable when it happens.

What you're looking at

The aardvark is in a taxonomic order entirely its own — Tubulidentata — with no close living relatives. It looks like something assembled from spare parts: a pig-like snout, rabbit-like ears, a heavy body, and a thick tapering tail. Adults weigh 40–65 kg and are powerful diggers, capable of excavating a burrow faster than a team of humans with shovels.

What they do all night

Aardvarks emerge after dark to forage, covering up to 30 km in a single night in search of ants and termites. Their long, sticky tongue — up to 30 cm — extracts insects from mounds with remarkable efficiency. Thick skin and the ability to seal their nostrils protect them from insect stings and bites while feeding.

Why the rest of the bush depends on them

Aardvark burrows are one of the most important secondary resources in the African ecosystem. Warthogs, hyenas, bat-eared foxes, porcupines, and many other species use abandoned aardvark burrows as dens and shelter. Remove the aardvark and the knock-on effects ripple across dozens of species.

The best chance of seeing an aardvark is on a dedicated night drive in an area with a known population — Samara Private Game Reserve in the Karoo is one of the more reliable spots in South Africa.

Seeing one

Night drives are essential. Even then, sightings are not guaranteed — but the guides who know their reserves well know where aardvarks have been seen recently and will position accordingly. If you do see one, it tends to be a highlight that guests talk about long after the trip ends.