Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Bryan Maritz Andrew Turner
Facilitators: Graham Alexander Krystal Tolley
Reviewers: Michael Bates Juan-Jacques Forgus Krystal Tolley Luke Verburgt

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria|)

Widely distributed, common in suitable habitats and found in a number of protected areas, hence it is assessed regionally as Least Concern. However, in parts of its range there is a loss in quality of habitat, and there is an unknown level of harvesting for the pet trade but these are not thought of as significant threats to the population.

Distribution

Occurs from southern Angola eastwards to southern Zimbabwe and Limpopo in South Africa, and southwards through Limpopo to the western half of South Africa, including the southeastern Karoo of the Eastern Cape Province (Branch 1998, Broadley 1990, Alexander and Marais 2007). Widespread in the northern and western parts of South Africa, but absent from the southern coastal region. Further study is required to ascertain whether recent records from the Oudtshoorn area in the Little Karoo (e.g. Phelps and Els 2006) represent recent range extensions or general rarity of the taxon in the region (Bates et al. 2014).

Population trend

Trend

The population is suspected to be stable.

Threats

In parts of its range habitat destruction is evident, and there is an unknown level of harvesting for the pet trade. These are not though to be significant threats to the species.

Uses and trade

The species is harvested from the wild for the pet trade, but levels are unknown.

Conservation

The species occurs in a number of protected areas across its range. There are no species-specific conservation actions in place and none are recommended.  An updated taxonomic assessment using the recent phylogeny as a guide is needed.

References 

[@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 = {Alexander, G.J. and Marais, J.},
 publisher = {Struik Publishers},
 title = {A Guide to Reptiles of Southern Africa},
 year = {2007}
}
,@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}
}
,@article{22475165,
 author = {Phelps, T. and Els, J.},
 journal = {African Herp News},
 pages = {30--31},
 title = {Horned Adder. <i>Bitis caudalis</i> (Smith, 1830). Geographical distribution.},
 volume = {40},
 year = {2006}
}
,]
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