Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Bryan Maritz Andrew Turner
Contributors: Ulrich Joger Josh Weeber Neil Cox
Facilitators: Graham Alexander Krystal A Tolley Ranmali De Silva Harriet Milligan Oliver Wearn Sally Wren Tara Zamin Jennifer Sears Penny Wilson Sarah Lewis Paul Lintott Gary Powney
Reviewers: Michael Bates Juan-Jacques Forgus Krystal A Tolley Luke Verburgt

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

This species is assessed as Least Concern because it is widespread, occurring in several protected areas including mountains with little anthropogenic influences or habitat loss. However, the Berg Adder is collected for the pet trade to some extent, and is negatively affected by high intensity grazing in some parts of its range, and these threats should be monitored.

Distribution

Endemic to southern Africa (Bates et al. 2014). Occurs in at least four disjunct subpopulations: i) Cape Fold Mountains in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces South Africa; ii) Maloti-Drakensberg of Lesotho and adjacent parts of KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Eastern Cape provinces, South Africa; iii) Mpumalanga and Limpopo escarpment in South Africa and western Eswatini [Swaziland]; and iv) eastern highlands of Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique (Broadley 1990, Branch 1998, Marais 2004, Alexander and Marais 2007, Phelps 2009). Old records from East London and Whitney  in South Africa are considered unlikely, as is an old record from Swaershoek, South Africa (FitzSimons 1962). However, the latter is supported by a specimen (TM 35635, may be lost) collected in 1968 on the farm Mt Marlow near Swaershoek and a more recent specimen from Petersburg that was found in Themeda grassland associated with isolated mountains of the inland escarpment (Bates et al. 2014). The species has never been recorded from the montane grasslands of the Amatole Range in the Eastern Cape, even though other montane reptiles (e.g. Afroedura, Pseudocordylus melanotus subviridis) from the Drakensberg are known from the region. Old records of Bitis atropos from the Suurberg around Grahamstown (Hewitt 1937, FitzSimons 1962), and from the coastal Marine Drive area of Port Elizabeth (FitzSimons 1962), have not been supported by additional material during the last 25–50 years, and these populations may therefore have been extirpated (Bates et al. 2014). Records in central Lesotho require confirmation.

Population trend

Trend

The population is suspected to be stable. There are at least four geographically isolated subpopulations.

Threats

The species is collected from the wild for the pet trade, and is probably affected by high intensity grazing and associated fires in parts of its range.

Uses and trade

This species does have a minor presence in the pet trade as evidenced by numerous online videos of captive specimens. There is some evidence that animal have been illegally collected from Mpumalanga as well as the Western Cape (A. Turner pers. comm. 2018).

Conservation

Occurs in many protected areas across its wide range. Once a systematic revision of the species has been completed, the conservation status of all resultant taxa should be assessed.

References 

[@electronic{181632,
 address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2018-2},
 year = {2018}
}
,@book{58767,
 address = {Grahamstown},
 author = {Hewitt, J.},
 publisher = {Albany Museum},
 title = {A Guide to the Vertebrate fauna of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.  Part II. Reptiles, Amphibians and Freshwater Fishes},
 year = {1937}
}
,@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}
}
,@book{2817,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Branch, W.R.},
 publisher = {Struik Publishers},
 title = {Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Second Edition},
 year = {1998}
}
,@book{2817,
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 author = {Marais, J.},
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 title = {A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa},
 year = {2004}
}
,@book{2817,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Alexander, G.J. and Marais, J.},
 publisher = {Struik Publishers},
 title = {A Guide to Reptiles of Southern Africa},
 year = {2007}
}
,@book{2817,
 address = {Frankfurt, Germany},
 author = {Phelps, T.},
 publisher = {Chimaira},
 title = {Old World Vipers. A natural history of the Azemiopinae and Viperinae},
 year = {2009}
}
,@techreport{5336,
 address = {Pretoria, South Africa},
 author = {Jacobsen, N.H.G.},
 institution = {Chief Directorate of Nature and Environmental Conservation},
 title = {The distribution and conservation status of reptiles and amphibians in the Transvaal. Final Report Project TN 6/4/1/30},
 year = {1989}
}
,@book{10242,
 address = {Parklands, South Africa},
 author = {Broadley, D.G.},
 publisher = {Jonathan Ball and Ad. Donker Publishers},
 title = {FitzSimons' Snakes of Southern Africa},
 year = {1990}
}
,@book{178597,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {FitzSimons, V.F.M.},
 publisher = {Purnell & Sons},
 title = {Snakes of Southern Africa},
 year = {1962}
}
,@article{178597,
 author = {FitzSimons, V.F.M.},
 journal = {Annals of the Transvaal Museum},
 pages = {405--409},
 title = {Some new reptiles from southern Africa and southern Angola},
 volume = {23},
 year = {1959}
}
,]
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