Within the southern Africa region, this species has a wide distribution and it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a threat or Near Threatened category. Assessed as Least Concern within the Southern African region and globally. In South Africa the Graceful Slim (Aciagrion gracile), is known from a small area in northern Kwazulu-Natal and one record from the Limpopo Province. It is known from less than five locations, however there could be more localities and surveys are required to confirm the species presence in the Limpopo Province. It has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 10,867 km2 and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 20 km2. In South Africa, it is threatened and experiencing continuous decline in habitat due to the interaction of game trampling, possibly domestic livestock and drought. It is highly prone to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, and is likely to be vulnerable to global climate change. It thus qualifies as Endangered B2ab(ii, iii), however this is a regional assessment at the national level and a regional adjustment is required as this species is widely distributed globally and it occurs in neighbouring countries with stable populations, which may allow immigration. Further the species has recently been recorded in the Limpopo Province which increases its EOO, hence the species is down listed twice and it is assessed as Near Threatened B2ab(ii,iii).
Distribution
In South Africa, it has been recorded from northern KwaZulu-Natal (including Ndumo protected area) (Samways 2008, Samways and Simaika 2016), and a record from Tshipise in the Limpopo Province. Within southern Africa, this species occurs in the tropical north. It may occur in the Caprivi, but it has not yet been recorded there. Globally, it has been recorded from northern Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique and it is likely to also occur in Kenya.
In South Africa it is prone to drought and heavy impact on its pools by game and possibly domestic livestock, especially in times of drought, when there are interactions between these threats. In South Africa it is likely to be highly prone to global climate change and is strongly influenced by ENSO events. Drainage and destruction of swampy habitats are potential threats in Southern Africa.
Conservation
Known from Ndumo protected area, but highly vulnerable to interaction of climate and game/domestic livestock.
