Red List of South African Species

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Endangered (EN)
Assessors: Gary Bronner Samantha Mynhardt
Reviewers: Andrew Taylor

Rationale (Changed due to Same category but change in criteria)

The species is listed as Endangered  because it is only recorded from two locations 49 km apart. Extent of occurrence is ca. 1,500 km2 and area of occupancy is only 32 km2 (based on a grid cell area of 16 km2). Overgrazing and poor agricultural practices by growing low-income subsistence farming communities has, and continues to, lead to habitat degradation and probable ongoing declines in the area of occupancy, numbers of individuals and quality of suitable habitat.

Distribution

This species is endemic to South Africa. Known from only two isolated localities (Ubombo and Ingwavuma) on the eastern slopes of Lebombo Mountains in KwaZulu-Natal. Owl pellet remains from Weenen, about 250 km southwest, appear to represent this species, suggesting that it may be more widespread than currently recognized. Possibly extends into southeastern Swaziland along Lebombo Mountains.

Population trend

Trend

The species is known from only two isolated localities (Ubombo and Ingwavuma) on the eastern slopes of Lebombo Mountains in KwaZulu-Natal. It is locally common, but no quantitative data are available.

Threats

The single major threat is likely to be habitat degradation, either through overgrazing by cattle, the destruction of vegetation for firewood by local subsistence communities, and urbanization (in the Ubombo district). Predation by domestic pets, and possible pesticide contamination in areas adjoining agricultural estates, are also localized threats.

Conservation

Known to occur in only the Pongola Wilderness Area. Research is needed to search for other subpopulations in intermediate areas, and to quantify threats faced by this species.

References 

[@inbook{1087,
 address = {Baltimore, MD, USA},
 author = {},
 booktitle = {Order Afrosoricida},
 editor = {Bronner, G.N. and Jenkins, P.D.},
 pages = {70--81},
 publisher = {The Johns Hopkins University Press},
 title = {Mammal Species of the World},
 year = {2005}
}
,@phdthesis{1087,
 author = {Bronner, G.N.},
 school = {University of Natal},
 title = {Systematic revision of the golden mole genera <i>Amblysomus</i>, <i>Chlorotalpa</i> and <i>Calcochloris</i> (Insectivora: Chrysochloromorpha; Chrysochloridae)},
 year = {1995}
}
,@electronic{1087,
 address = {http://www.afrotheria.net/index.php},
 author = {Afrotheria Specialist Group},
 title = {Specialist Group website},
 year = {2014}
}
,@inbook{1087,
 address = {London},
 author = {},
 booktitle = {<i>Neamblysomus gunningi</i>},
 editor = {Bronner, G.N.},
 pages = {239--240},
 publisher = {Bloomsbury Publishing},
 title = {Mammals of Africa, Volume I: Introductory Chapters and Afrotheria},
 year = {2013}
}
,@electronic{1087,
 address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.2},
 year = {2015}
}
,@article{41316,
 author = {Bronner, G.N.},
 journal = {Mammalia},
 pages = {729–751},
 title = {Geographic patterns of morphometric variation in the Hottentot golden mole, <i>Amblysomus hottentotus</i> (Insectivora: Chrysochloridae): a multivariate analysis},
 volume = {60},
 year = {1996}
}
,]
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