Population trend
Trend
This species is widespread and common, especially common in highveld rocky grasslands (Kesner et al. 2013). In the western Soutpansberg of Limpopo Province it is common at all altitudes at densities of up to 54 individuals / ha (Taylor et al. 2015). Similarly, it was regularly trapped in rocky outcrops in Tussen-die-Riviere Nature Reserve, Free State Province (Watson 2006), and it is common in the Korannaberg Mountain Range between Black Rock and Van Zylsrus in the Northern Cape Province. It was the most abundant species sampled on the Bokkeveld plateau near Nieuwoudtville, Northern Cape Province, comprising 75% of 219 small mammal individuals (OâFarrell et al. 2008), and in Telperion/Ezemvelo Nature Reserve, Gauteng Province, comprising 59% of all samples (Fagir et al. 2014). In Swaziland, it is also closely associated with rocky outcrops where it is often the most common rodent species present (Monadjem 1998).
Russo et al. (2006) reveal at least eight genetically unique subpopulations across the range where physical barriers such as rivers and mountains do not appear to separate the lineages (one exception is a lineage that appears to be restricted to high elevations of the Great Escarpment). Instead, most lineages, or sub-clades within them, show a strong association with different vegetation types of southern Africa, including the Grassland and Savannah biomes; Albany Thicket; Western Fynbos; Bushmanland/Upper Karoo Bioregion (Nama-Karoo/Savanna); Nama-Karoo; Kalahari Duneveld (Nama-Karoo); Sub-Escarpment Grassland Bioregion (Grassland); Eastern Kalahari Bushveld; and Savannah (Russo et al. 2006).
