Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Galen Rathbun Hanneline Smit-Robinson
Contributors: Samantha Page-Nicholson Matthew Child
Reviewers: Andrew Taylor

Rationale

Although this species is not abundant, it is widespread in suitable habitats over a wide extent of occurrence for South Africa. Because it occupies habitats that are very arid that will not support most development without the availability of water, there are no known threats to the vast majority of the habitats occupied by the Western Rock Sengi. Areas close to rivers or reliable sources of water may have been developed, or may be developed in the future, as agricultural and urban areas. For example, a narrow area adjacent to and along the Orange River between Namibia and South Africa has been developed, but this is a relatively small area compared to the overall distribution of the Western Rock Sengi. Intensive goat and sheep grazing, resulting in localised desertification, may also adversely impact relatively small areas. Mineral extraction activities, such as around the town of Springbok in South Africa, can also alter sengi habitats. However, these disturbances are confined to a relatively small area compared to the overall distribution of the species. Past, current, and future development in this region of Africa is not expected to have a significant impact on this sengi or its habitats. On the other hand, bush encroachment and desertification might adversely alter habitats that these sengis occupy, and these processes should be monitored for possible negative impacts on sengi populations. The species is listed as Least Concern.

Regional population effects: More or less continuous distribution with populations in Namiba and Botswana, so rescue effect is possible.

Distribution

A widespread species found mainly in South Africa and Namibia, but also in southwestern Angola (Corbet & Hanks 1968; Skinner & Chimimba 2005). Within the assessment region, they only occur in the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape provinces (Skinner & Chimimba 2005). Museum records from the Western Cape need to be carefully vetted. Similarly, in the North West Province, there is one museum record from the Schweizer-Reneke area, but no recent specimens have been from the same area during an intensive small mammal survey (Power 2014). Further work on delimiting the distribution of the species within South Africa is necessary.

Population trend

Trend

There are no data on the population status of the Western Rock Sengi, but it is likely to be locally common and it can be expected that subpopulations will vary greatly in the arid habitats that it occupies. We suspect that it occurs naturally in low numbers but habitats are reasonably secure.

Threats

There are no known major threats to the species. However, local declines due to habitat modification to relatively small areas may occur near rivers and human population centres due to small-holder and industrial agriculture, mineral extraction, and urban development. Changes in habitats due to desertification and bush encroachment may adversely alter habitats for sengis, but at present these changes do not appear widespread or serious.

Uses and trade

There is no evidence that this species is used for local or international trade.

Conservation

The species occurs in protected areas, but it is not clear which areas and what proportion of the distribution is protected. Key protected areas within South Africa include the Namaqua National Park, Tankwa Karoo National Park and Mokala National Park. Because of the very minor conservation problems facing this species, no conservation measures are needed or recommended at present or in the foreseeable future.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Expansion of the protected area network.
Research priorities:
  • Determine abundance and range size across its distribution.
  • Biological data including life-history and ecology.
  • Vetting of museum records to more accurately delimit distribution.
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Citizens are encouraged to report sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iSpot and MammalMAP) with photographic confirmation.

References 

[@book{275,
 address = {Cambridge},
 author = {Skinner, J.D. and Chimimba, C.T.},
 publisher = {Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom},
 title = {The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion},
 year = {2005}
}
,@techreport{5228,
 author = {Power, R.J.},
 institution = {Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation & Tourism, North West Provincial Government, Mahikeng},
 title = {The distribution and status of mammals in the North West Province},
 year = {2014}
}
,@inbook{7136,
 address = {Cambridge, UK},
 author = {},
 booktitle = {Macroscelidea},
 editor = {Rathbun, G.B. (subeditor)},
 pages = {22--34},
 publisher = {Cambridge University Press},
 title = {The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion, 3rd edition},
 year = {2005}
}
,@article{7136,
 author = {Corbet, G.B. and Hanks, J.},
 journal = {Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History (Zoology)},
 pages = {1--111},
 title = {A revision of the elephant-shrews, family Macroscelididae},
 volume = {16},
 year = {1968}
}
,@article{3755,
 author = {Smithers, R.H.N.},
 journal = {National Museums of Rhodesia, Museum Memoir},
 pages = {1--340},
 title = {The mammals of Botswana},
 volume = {4},
 year = {1971}
}
,@article{7138,
 author = {Smit, H.A., Watson, J, and Jansen van Vuuren, B.},
 journal = {Journal of Biogeography},
 pages = {857--864},
 title = {Relative importance of habitat connectivity in shaping the genetic profiles of two southern African elephant-shrews},
 volume = {37},
 year = {2009}
}
,]
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