Rationale
(Changed due to Same category but change in criteria)
The southern distribution of P. rhodesianus in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is separated from the central African distribution by approximate 1,000 km, and may represent a separate taxon. This southern group is experiencing a continuing decline in habitat quantity and quality as a result of wetland destruction and pollution, as well as increased agricultural (sugar cane fields) and silviculture (timber plantations) developments (Rouget et al. 2004, Broadley and Boycott 2008, Boycott 2014). The southernmost population at Bluff Nature Reserve is considered extinct (Broadley and Boycott 2008). Few records for the species fall within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and most of the coastal and inland habitat beyond this park degraded dramatically between 1994 and 2011 (Jewitt et al. 2015). Populations south of Umlalazi Nature Reserve may also be extirpated due to gum plantations and dune mining in recent years (R.C. Boycott pers. obs.). If we exclude these southern populations considered extinct, the EOO for the species is reduced to less than 50% of the original EOO. Based on land cover maps, we estimate that 30-40% of the species’ original range has been destroyed or degraded over the past 30 years (1.5 generations). These threats have not ceased (Schoeman et al. 2013, Jewitt et al. 2015) and the habitat may experience further pressure in future due to climate change, which is expected to have an adverse effect on the Indian Ocean Coastal Belt Bioregion (DEA 2013), the prime habitat of the species. An estimated population decline of 10-20% over the next 30 years (1.5 generations) could bring the species within the range for Endangered. Until more information is available, we classify the species provisionally as Vulnerable under A4ace, but recommend that the Endangered status be considered in the next assessment. EOO falls just above 5,000 km2, but while a continuing decline in habitat quality is evident, we need more information on fragmentation and number of locations to consider the B1 criterion.
Distribution
The species is widespread in central Africa where is if found from the Congo (DRC and ROC) through Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Angola and Zambia to penetrate northern Namibia and Botswana peripherally. A relic population occurs further south in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Boycott and Bourquin 2000, Turtle Taxonomy Working Group 2014). Local populations in South Africa are known from around Umlalazi and the St. Lucia-Cape Vidal reserves. The southernmost population in Bluff Nature Reserve (Durban) is now considered extinct, as is probably the case with populations south of Umlalazi (Bourquin 2004, Broadley and Boycott 2008, Boycott 2014).
There is little information available on population status within KwaZulu-Natal, except that some local populations seem to be extirpated (Broadley and Boycott 2008).
Threats
In KwaZulu-Natal, the species experiences a decline in extent and quality of habitat as a result of the filling-in of wetlands and, at some localities, pollution of the habitat (Broadley and Boycott 2008). Further fragmentation of habitat has probably occurred due to the expansion of agriculture (sugar cane fields) and sylviculture (timber plantations). A more recent factor could be mining of coastal dunes north of Mtunzini (R.C. Boycott pers. obs.) Another lesser threat is the wanton killing of terrapins by local people in coastal pans south of Mtunzini (Broadley and Boycott 2008).
Uses and trade
Some specimens may be collected from the wild for display or research purposes but the effect is probably negligible. At one unprotected locality south of Mtunzini, dead terrapins have been found on the banks of shaded pans, suggesting that they are wantonly killed by local people for no apparent reason. This suggests that terrapins at this and possibly at other sites are hunted. Although some terrapins have been confiscated from people in the St Lucia area (D. Blake pers. comm.), there is no evidence of an existing commercial trade in the species.
Conservation
The species is listed under CITES Appendix III. General conservation of the wetland habitats it inhabits is recommended (Boycott and Bourquin 2000). Research into biology, population numbers, and habitat status is needed.
[@article{9077,
author = {Jewitt, D., Goodman, P.S., Erasmus, B.F.N., O’Connor, T.G. and Witkowski, E.T.F.},
journal = {South African Journal of Science },
pages = {1--9},
title = {Systematic land-cover change in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Implications for biodiversity},
volume = {111},
year = {2015}
}
,@article{41662,
author = {Schoeman, F., Newby, T.S., Thompson, M.W. and Van den Berg, E.C.},
journal = {South African Journal of Geomatics},
number = {2},
pages = {94--105},
title = {South African national land-cover change map},
volume = {2},
year = {2013}
}
,@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}
}
,@book{10241,
address = {Hilton, South Africa},
author = {Boycott, R.C. and Bourquin, O.},
publisher = {O. Borquin},
title = {The Southern African Tortoise Book: A Guide to Southern African Tortoises, Terrapins and Turtles},
year = {2000}
}
,@techreport{10241,
address = {Pretoria},
author = {Rouget, M., Reyers, B., Jonas, Z., Desmet, P., Driver, A., Maze, K., Egoh, B. and Cowling, R.M.},
institution = {South African National Biodiversity Institute},
title = {South African National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment 2004},
year = {2004}
}
,@inbook{10241,
author = {Rhodin and Iverson and Dijk and Saumure and Buhlmann and Pritchard and Mittermeier },
booktitle = {Turtles of the World: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status (8th Ed.)},
editor = {TTWG (Turtle Taxonomy Working Group: Rhodin, A.G.J., Iverson, J.B., Bour, R. Fritz, U., Georges, A., Shaffer, H.B. and van Dijk, P.P.)},
pages = {1--292},
publisher = {Chelonian Research Monographs},
title = {Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group},
year = {2017}
}
,@article{11004,
author = {TTWG [Turtle Taxonomy Working Group: van Dijk, P.P., Iverson, J.B., Rhodin, A.G.J., Shaffer, H.B. and Bour, R.]},
journal = {Chelonian Research Monographs},
number = {7},
pages = {000.329--479, doi:10.3854/crm.5.000.checklist.v7.2014},
title = {Turtles of the world, 7th edition: annotated checklist of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution with maps, and conservation status},
volume = {5},
year = {2014}
}
,@techreport{170521,
address = {Pretoria},
author = {DEA (Department of Environmental Affairs)},
title = {Long-Term Adaptation Scenarios Flagship Research Programme (LTAS) for South Africa},
year = {2013}
}
,@article{16530,
author = {Broadley, D.G.},
journal = {Occasional Papers of the National Museums and Monuments of Rhodesia, Series B, Natural Sciences},
pages = {633--686},
title = {A review of the genus <i>Pelusios</i> Wagler in southern Africa (Pleurodira: Pelomedusidae)},
volume = {6},
year = {1981}
}
,@article{16530,
author = {Fritz, U., Branch, W.R., Hofmeyr, M., Maran, J., Prokop, H., Schleicher, A., Široký, P., Stuckas, H., Vargas-Ramírez, M., Vences, M. and Hundsdörfer, A.K.},
journal = {Zoologica Scripta},
pages = {115--125},
title = {Molecular phylogeny of African hinged and helmeted terrapins (Testudines: Pelomedusidae: <i>Pelusios</i> and <i>Pelomedusa</i>).},
volume = {40},
year = {2011}
}
,]
