Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Krystal A Tolley Andrew Turner
Contributors: Josh Weeber
Facilitators: Graham Alexander
Reviewers: Nicolas Telford M.D. Hofmeyr John Measey Alex Rebelo

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

Widely distributed with a large extent of occurrence (over 178,409 km2) and often very abundant, particularly near the coast. Seems to tolerate some agricultural landscapes, and is not known to be threatened by human activities at present. The species is therefore listed as Least Concern.

Distribution

Occurs from southwestern Namibia in the north, southwards into South Africa along the west coast of the Northern and Western Cape to the Cape Peninsula, and inland through the Cederberg Mountains and Tankwa Karoo to the western Little Karoo (Branch 1998, Bates et al. 2014).

Population trend

Trend

The species is inferred to be stable given that it is widespread and common.

Threats

There are no major threats to this species.

Uses and trade

There is no known trade in this species.

Conservation

Occurs in a number of protected areas. No conservation actions are recommended.

References 

[@electronic{181632,
 address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2018-2},
 year = {2018}
}
,@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. Third Edition},
 year = {1998}
}
,@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{196984,
 address = {Pretoria, South Africa},
 author = {Branch, W.R., Tolley, K.A., Cunningham, M., Bauer, A.M., Alexander, G., Harrison, J.A., Turner, A.A. and Bates, M.F.},
 publisher = {South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 title = {A Plan for Phylogenetic Studies of Southern African Reptiles: Proceedings of a Workshop held at Kirstenbosch, February 2006},
 year = {2006}
}
,@phdthesis{196984,
 author = {Strauss, P.},
 school = {Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch},
 title = {Phylogeography and Thermal Physiology of <i>Meroles knoxii</i> (Family: Lacertidae): Relevance for Species Responses to Climate Change},
 year = {2016}
}
,]
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