This species is listed as Near Threatened on the basis that it has an extent of occurrence of 4,674 km², and is subject to moderate habitat transformation in the western portion of its range that are resulting in a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat, but as the major part of its distribution is protected locations have not been defined. As such it is close to, but does not fully qualify for, listing in a threatened category applying criterion B1.

This species has been recorded only from dry coastal sands in southwestern South Africa to the north and southeast of Cape Town (Davis et al. 2020). It ranges from Cape Agulhas in the southeast to Saldanha Bay in the north, with the two population centres probably separated by transformed areas and unsuitable habitat (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). It has been recorded between sea level and 130 m asl (Davis et al. 2020).

There is no information on the population status of this species. In general, members of this genus are collected in low numbers. It has been collected in low numbers from cattle dung-baited traps in September 2012 (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023). Surveys in deep shrubland in 1987-1988, using series of 10 traps set three times a month, recorded a total of 13 in Modderiver and two in Pampoenvlei, all in shrubland on deep sand (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023).

This species has been recorded from strandveld and sand fynbos vegetation units, where it has been found on deep sand in shrubland and open shrubland. Quantitative data from the farm Geelbeck recorded 13 individuals from shrubland using cattle dung as bait but none in adjacent sparse pasture from which natural shrubland vegetation had been removed (Davis et al. 2020). Nevertheless, Davis et al. (2020) state that there has been "No adequate quantitative assessment" of its ecology. Some individuals trapped in Modderrivier or Rondeberg excreted waste thought to be typical of carrion-feeders (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). It has been proposed that Macroderes species may be particularly associated with earth mounds known as heuweltjies: water-retaining, nutrient-rich structures that attract rodents whose dung may be a key resource for these beetles (Abdalla et al. 2018), however the extent to which this is likely to be true of this southwest coastal species is unclear (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). Heuweltjies appear not to be present within this species' range, as they occur slightly further inland (C. Deschodt and A. Davis pers. comm. 2023).

Mean annual precipitation across seven known localities is 269–422 mm, and mean annual temperature 15.5–16.6 °C (Davis et al. 2020). It is flightless and has been recorded from autumn through the winter rainy season to early spring (May to September) (Davis et al. 2020).

Much of the western portion of this species' range (within the Langebaan Dune Strandveld and Atlantis Sand Fynbos) has been transformed by arable agriculture, pasture, urban development, and invasive Acacia woodland. Around 35-40% of natural vegetation has been lost across vegetation units in which the species has been found (Davis et al. 2020, A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). As little as 5% of the Overberg Dune Strandveld, in the south of the species' range, has been transformed by these pressures, based on data from Mucina and Rutherford (2006). It is likely that a higher proportion of this strandveld has been lost by now (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023). The site where this species has been repeatedly sampled by C. Deschodt (pers. comm. 2023) is a nature reserve within the buffer zone of a nuclear power station, and so is not at any risk from development.

Dung beetles adapted to the cool, arid winter rainfall region of southwest South Africa and Namibia may be at elevated risk from the predicted impacts of climate change, which may result in temperature-driven changes to seasonal rainfall patterns and increase annual precipitation (Davis and Scholz 2020). This may facilitate the expansion of warm-adapted species from the northeast into presently unsuitable areas (Davis and Scholz 2020).

There is no information on any use of or trade in this species, but it is unlikely to be exploited.

This species is known from Koeburg Nature Reserve and West Coast National Park, which together protect a fair proportion of the range (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). The sparse grassland in Geelbek, the result of habitat conversion for pasture, has now been permitted to regenerate into natural shrubland following its incorporation into West Coast National Park (Davis et al. 2020). Surveys are needed to clarify the species' extent of occurrence, occupancy patterns, ecological requirements and the species' exposure and sensitivity to land use change (Davis et al. 2020).