Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Bryan Maritz
Contributors: Josh Weeber
Facilitators: Graham Alexander Krystal A Tolley
Reviewers: Michael Bates Juan-Jacques Forgus Krystal A Tolley Luke Verburgt

Rationale (Changed due to Criteria Revision|Knowledge of criteria)

This species has moderately sized  (the extent of occurrence (EOO) = 19,684 km2) in an area that is heavily affected by anthropogenic impacts; however, much of the distribution also falls within large protected areas. These impacts are therefore currently not considered to pose a major threat and this species is assessed as Least Concern.

Distribution

Endemic to South Africa, where it is restricted to the northeastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal, from the Mozambique border southwards to St. Lucia village (Bates et al. 2014). Likely to also occur in southern Mozambique and the eastern parts of Eswatini [Swaziland].

Decline

Range includes large portions of transformed habitat, but this fragmentation is not currently a major concern.

Population trend

Trend

No quantitative information on population size or trend is currently available, but the species is inferred to be stable given that it has a moderately sized range and is found in a number of Protected Areas. There may be local declines in the more heavily impacted areas of its range.

Threats

Threatened by habitat transformation caused by plantations, agriculture and expanding human settlement. Habitat transformation is taking place across much of its range (Driver et al. 2005). At present, these threats are considered to be relatively minor as the species occurs in several large protected areas.

Uses and trade

This species is not utilized.

Conservation

Occurs in a number of protected areas. This species is poorly known; carry out research on its habits and habitat utilization particularly in areas that are heavily transformed, as it is not known how land transformation might affect this species.

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{3023,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Branch, W.R.},
 publisher = {Struik Publishers},
 title = {Field Guide to the Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. First Edition.},
 year = {1988}
}
,@book{13290941,
 address = {Pretoria, South Africa},
 author = {Driver, A., Maze, K., Rouget, M., Lombard, A.T., Nel, J., Turpie, J.K., Cowling, R.M., Desmet, P., Goodman, P., Harris, J., Jonas, Z., Reyers, B., Sink, K. and Strauss, T.},
 publisher = {Strelitzia 17, South African National  Biodiversity Institute},
 title = {National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment 2004: Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation in South Africa},
 year = {2005}
}
,]
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