Aardwolf hunting in South Africa

The Aardwolf is also known as a “Maanhaar Jakals” (mane haired Jackal) in Afrikaans a name derived from their defensive behaviour of raising their hair along their back to make themselves look more threatening and larger in size. The word Aardwolf directly translated from Afrikaans means “Earth Wolf”. It may look fierce, like a small Spotted Hyena but is not considered a carnivore as its diet is strictly insectivorous feeding on harvester termites. For this very reason, Aardwolf performs a very important ecological role in the control of termites which otherwise destroy valuable farmland grazing. Aardwolf are mostly solitary but can be found in pairs throughout most of the country except closer to the eastern seaboard of the country and all forested areas. This secretive nocturnal animal is not often hunted but tends to be more commonly encountered in the semi-arid regions of the Northern Cape and North West provinces. This trophy of opportunity is hunted at night by driving around shining a spotlight in areas where they are known to occur. During the winter months when food is more difficult to find they may be bumped during a hunt in the early morning or late afternoon. During the day they hole up in underground burrows. Classified as a species of least concern by the IUCN, a special night hunting permit and license may be required in some provinces.