Red List of South African Species

Alternatively, Explore species
| National Red List categories | Partners |
Vulnerable (VU)
B1ab(i,iii,v)
Assessors: Aaron Bauer Werner Conradie Johan Marais
Contributors: Josh Weeber
Facilitators: Graham Alexander Krystal A Tolley
Reviewers: John Measey Alex Rebelo Nicolas Telford

Rationale (Changed due to Same category but change in criteria)

The species has a small extent of occurrence (5,385 km2) and more than half the range is severely fragmented, with a continuing decline extent and quality of habitat due to urban development and agriculture. Most of the region is heavily transformed and the fossorial nature of this species makes it unlikely that it can utilize or move through transformed landscapes such as fields and urban areas. This species is therefore listed as Vulnerable. 


Distribution

Endemic to KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, where it is found in the Midlands between Howick and Nottingham Road (Bates et al. 2014).

Population trend

Trend

No quantitative information on population size or trend is currently available, but inferred to be in decline. The species is considered severely fragmented. There is heavy habitat transformation and due to the fossorial nature of this species, it is assumed that connectivity between fragments has been lost or severely reduced.

Threats

Habitat is threatened by urban development, plantations of alien species and agriculture (Bates et al. 2014). Given limited dispersal abilities of this fossorial species across unsuitable habitat, metapopulation processes will be disrupted by the heavy habitat fragmentation.

Uses and trade

Not known to be utilized or traded in any way.

Conservation

Scelotes bourquini is found in only three protected areas that are large than 10 km2, with most of its distribution within highly transformed habitats. Surveys to better understand whether it can use these transformed areas would be helpful to understand the effects of habitat transformation on this species. 

References 

[@electronic{181632,
 address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2018-2},
 year = {2018}
}
,@article{3069,
 author = {McLachlan, A.},
 journal = {South African National Scientific Programmes Report},
 number = {23},
 title = {South African Red Data Book - Reptiles and Amphibians},
 year = {1978}
}
,@book{612,
 address = {Pretoria},
 author = {Bates, M.F., Branch, W.R., Bauer, A.M., Burger, M., Marais, J., Alexander, G.J. and de Villiers, M.S.},
 publisher = {Suricata 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 title = {Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland},
 year = {2014}
}
,@article{5336,
 author = {Bourquin, O.},
 journal = {Durban Museum Novitates},
 pages = {57--103},
 title = {Reptiles (Reptilia) in KwaZulu-Natal: 1 - diversity and distribution},
 volume = {29},
 year = {2004}
}
,]
Send feedback about this assessment to SANBI

Lead agencies, Partners and Funders

See the partners page