Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Duncan MacFadyen
Contributors: Nico Avenant Margaret Avery Rod Baxter Ara Monadjem Guy Palmer Peter Taylor Beryl Wilson Claire Relton
Reviewers: Matthew Child

Rationale

Listed as Least Concern as it has an expansive range within the assessment region, occurs commonly across a range of habitats, including many protected areas (such as Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Telperion Nature Reserve, Rooipoort Nature Reserve, and Kruger National Park), and has been recorded from both intact and degraded areas. Currently there are no major threats expected to cause extensive population decline. However, continued habitat loss as a result of mining, urban expansion, intensive agriculture and forestry is suspected to be causing local declines or extinctions and should be monitored carefully. Population numbers also tend to fluctuate, with higher numbers recorded in autumn and winter on the Highveld. Finally, taxonomic resolution is required as four cryptic species may occur in South Africa, which may necessitate reassessment of this species.

Regional population effects: This species is expected to disperse from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia into South Africa. As a generalist in its habitat preference, this species would allow for easy dispersal through modified habitats. Its range is largely contiguous except for isolated populations in northern Namibia and central Africa.

Distribution

This species is distributed widely in southern and East Africa (Monadjem et al. 2015), including parts of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, the central and southern parts of Mozambique, and all provinces in South Africa (Skinner and Chimimba 2005). It also occurs in both Swaziland and Lesotho (Lynch 1994, Monadjem 1998). In Gauteng and Mpumalanga this species was recorded in high numbers in all habitats on Ezemvelo Nature Reserve and Telperion Nature Reserve (MacFadyen 2014). This species was also recorded in low numbers at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve and Rooipoort Nature Reserve in the Northern Cape (D. MacFadyen unpubl. data), and has been recorded in Tussen-die-Riviere Nature Reserve in the Free State (Ferreira and Avenant 2003). There have been no documented range expansions for the species (for example, Power 2014), and it is expected that its range has not decreased (MacFadyen 2014). However, the records from the interior of the country (Figure 1) require investigation as they have not yet been confirmed (see Monadjem et al. 2015).

Population trend

Trend

It is the most abundant of all climbing mouse species within the assessment region. For example, it was the third most common small mammal species in different high-altitude grassland habitats in KwaZulu-Natal (Rowe-Rowe and Meester 1982). However, it is difficult to trap, and thus population assessments are difficult. Population fluctuations occur seasonally and between different vegetation communities. MacFadyen (2014) recorded local movements within a subpopulation in the Highveld Grasslands of Gauteng and Mpumalanga in autumn and winter, revealing higher population numbers during these seasons. MacFadyen (2014) estimated density in Rocky Highveld Grassland at 5 animals / ha, with a higher density of 12 animals / ha recorded in degraded grassland. This result is an indication that this species is able to inhabit a spectrum of habitats, from undisturbed to modified environments.

Threats

There are no major threats to the species. However, habitat loss from mining, forestry, intensive agricultural expansion and urban expansion, combined with habitat degradation through overgrazing may lead to local declines or even extinctions. The impact of these threats on the population remains to be quantified. Following taxonomic resolution, the severity of regional threats facing any cryptic species should be established. Although they are able to survive in degraded areas, excessively overgrazed areas and areas transformed into habitats with little or no biomass would negatively impact this species.

Uses and trade

There is no known subsistence or commercial use of this species.

Conservation

This species occurs in numerous protected areas across the assessment region, including Telperion Nature Reserve (Mpumalanga), Ezemvelo Nature Reserve and Rietvlei Nature Reserve (Gauteng), Tswalu Kalahari Reserve and Rooipoort Nature Reserve (Northern Cape), Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve (Limpopo), many protected areas in KwaZulu-Natal, and the Kruger National Park. No specific conservation interventions are necessary but the species would benefit from correct land management practices that restore degraded grassland areas and reduce overgrazing.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • No specific management plan is necessary. However, this species would benefit from correctly managed agricultural lands, which restricts overgrazing as much as possible.
Research priorities:
  • This is a species complex that requires taxonomic resolution.
  • Population size and trend estimates, including population boundaries and overlaps within the species complex, as well as investigation into the reproductive rate and breeding success of this species.
  • Quantification of the impacts of habitat loss across the species’ range.
  • Understanding the local movements and dispersal mechanisms exhibited by this species.
  • Research into the contribution made by this species to overall ecosystem functioning.
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Report sightings on virtual museum platforms (e.g., iSpot and MammalMAP), especially outside protected areas.
  • Report illegal mining practice and contribute to public pressure on post mining rehabilitation and restoration.
  • Plant indigenous species in gardens and thus create suitable habitats.
  • Create corridors to offset the impacts of urbanisation and ensure movement and gene flow between populations.
  • Encourage organic agriculture and reduce the use of insecticides and herbicides as much as possible.

References 

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 publisher = {Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom},
 title = {The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion},
 year = {2005}
}
,@article{5228,
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 title = {Distributional patterns and conservation status of mammals of Swaziland, southern Africa},
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}
,@book{9077,
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 year = {1998}
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 year = {1982}
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,@book{6443,
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 author = {Monadjem A},
 publisher = {Bloomsbury Publishing},
 title = {<i>Dendromus melanotis</i> Grey African Climbing Mouse. Pages 174–175 in Happold DCD, editor. Mammals of Africa. Volume III: Rodents, Hares and Rabbits},
 year = {2013}
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,@article{6443,
 author = {Solano E, Taylor PJ, Rautenbach A, Ropiquet A, Castiglia R},
 journal = {PloS one },
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 title = {Cryptic speciation and chromosomal repatterning in the South African climbing mice <i>Dendromus</i> (Rodentia, Nesomyidae)},
 volume = {9},
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,]
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