Aardvarks are nocturnal, fossorial insectivores with highly specific welfare needs that make their successful captive management extremely challenging.
Aardvark welfare in captivity exemplifies the challenges of housing highly specialist species with unusual ecological requirements. Their nocturnal schedule conflicts with zoo visiting hours, creating pressure to reverse or disrupt natural activity patterns. Diet replication is expensive and demanding. Their fossorial nature requires deep substrate for digging — a fundamental behavioural need that is expensive to provide properly. Day exhibits that display nocturnal species during artificially reversed light cycles impose welfare costs for visitor appeal. Honest assessment of whether aardvark welfare requirements can genuinely be met should precede acquisition.