Aloe canis

It would appear that this species has become extinct in the wild. One plausible explanation of the apparent disappearance of this species in the wild is that aloes in general are often used in traditional medicine as a treatment for various ailments like impotence and infertility, for the deworming of cattle, and for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (Campbell-Baker 2012). Since the 1980s, the AIDS epidemic in particular has erupted across Africa, which may have resulted in increased collection of Aloe species to be used as a treatment (Campbell-Baker 2012). Aloes like A. mawii, A. arborescens and A. mzimbana, that tend to naturally inhabit higher altitudes and are thus less accessible, are more likely to be left alone for such usage, whereas Aloe species like A. canis, that grew at much lower altitudes, are more likely to be exploited (Campbell-Baker 2012). It is known that this species has been collected, however, the actual causes for its disappearance have not been confirmed.

Searches for this species in the wild are required to determine if the species is still present. There is a forest reserve in the area, but it is not know if the species occurred within the reserve. The species is listed on CITES Appendix II (BGCI 2019). No plants are known to be in ex situ cultivation, however, Stewart Lane who described the species had plants in cultivation which may still exist.