Following the interpretation of Ferreira (1978) material from the South African uplands near the east border of Lesotho were considered as representing this species, even though the type locality at Lake Ngami is climatically and ecologically quite different. Davis et al. (2020) assessed this South African material under that species name but noted that the type series was reported to be larger-bodied. Given morphological and ecological difference to the type series, use of Onitis cribratus requires validation.

This species is listed as Data Deficient on the basis of the high degree of taxonomic uncertainty over whether the South African subpopulation represents the same concept as the type material collected from Botswana, and even if it were to be shown to be the same species, its South African range is in a restricted area which has been subject to land transformation for cattle grazing. Both the species' ability to tolerate this disturbance and the reasons for its scarcity are unknown.

Specimens referred to this species are known from a restricted area of South Africa east of the Lesotho border, but these may require further taxonomic validation (Davis et al. 2020). This is an area of wet, high grassland climatically different from the type locality, Lake Ngami in Botswana, which is potentially a consequence of taxonomic issues (Davis et al. 2020). The South African localities lie between 1,305 and 1,582 m asl (Davis et al. 2020).

This species is uncommon in South Africa (Davis et al. 2020). It was described as being very rare at the type locality when described in the late 19^th Century. It remains known for certain only from the two specimens from which it was described (Davis et al. 2020).

South African collection records are very limited, and insufficient to determine whether any bias exists in soil or vegetation preferences. One specimen each has been recorded from sandy clay loam or sandy loam, in grassland or pasture in data summarised by Davis et al. (2020). It has been collected from cattle dung (Davis et al. 2020). The South African localities are in Sub-Escarpment Grassland, while Lake Ngami lies in Kalahari Acacia-Baikiaea Woodlands (Davis et al. 2020). Nocturnal flight activity has been recorded between December and February (Davis et al. 2020).

Mean annual rainfall across the three South African localities is between 744–775 m, and mean annual temperature between 4.3–15.0 °C (Davis et al. 2020).

Although this species has been recorded from cattle dung in grassland/pasture nothing is known of its ability to tolerate land transformation. It is possible that its scarcity is a consequence of historical land conversion to cattle pasture (Davis et al. 2020). Data are however insufficient to determine whether it is presently at significant risk or whether it exhibits any dung preferences which may make it sensitive to declines in native mammals. It is suspected that the species currently referred to as Onitis cribatus in South Africa may be genuinely restricted to South African high grassland (due either to taxonomic issues or a misidentification of the type locality) (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). In that case, it will have a very much more restricted distribution than suggested by the record from Botswana (Davis et al. 2020).

There is no information on any use of or trade in this species.

This species is not known to occur in protected areas in either South Africa or Botswana (Davis et al. 2020). A comparison between the type specimens of Onitis cribratus and South African material currently known by that name is required to clarify whether one or two species are involved (Davis et al. 2020). Surveys are needed in the highlands east of Lesotho to clarify its distributional extent, and ecological research is needed to clarify ecological associations (Davis et al. 2020). If the records from Lake Ngami prove to be conspecific then further research will be required around the type locality.