Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Zimkitha Madikiza Zimkitha Gebe Boris Kryštufek Rod Baxter Emmanuel Do Linh San
Contributors: Claire Relton Matthew Child Nico Avenant Margaret Avery Duncan MacFadyen Ara Monadjem Guy Palmer Peter Taylor Beryl Wilson
Reviewers: Zimkitha Madikiza Zimkitha Gebe Boris Kryštufek Rod Baxter Emmanuel Do Linh San

Rationale

Although the Mozambique Thicket Rat was listed as Data Deficient in the 2004 assessment, we list it now as Least Concern as field surveys have revealed its range to extend west beyond the Amathole mountains and could potentially extend into the forests of Somerset East. This species thus has a wide extent of occurrence within the assessment region with potential rescue effects from Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Although deforestation is a threat, much of its habitat is protected within the assessment region and it is not suspected to be declining. However, further surveys are needed to clarify population status and research is needed to resolve its taxonomy. This species should be reassessed as new data emerge.

Regional population effects: Rescue effect is possible through dispersal from Mozambique or Zimbabwe in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, and from Mozambique into northern KwaZulu-Natal. It is restricted to the forest biotic zone, and requires dense and developed forests regardless of the elevation. This type of ecosystem is naturally fragmented in southern Africa, and not all forest patches are inhabited although they seem suitable for the species. The range is therefore fragmented but also imperfectly known. For example, it is not possible to claim whether a gap of 500 km, between KwaZulu-Natal and the Amathole complex, where no G. cometes have been found, is a gap in distribution or in our knowledge.

Distribution

This species is endemic to the eastern parts of southern Africa, south of the Zambezi River in southern Mozambique, eastern Zimbabwe and South Africa, including Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces. There is a single record from Mpumalanga, but its validity is doubtful (Skinner & Chimimba 2005). It is possibly present in Swaziland and Lesotho, although this requires confirmation. The subpopulation in the mistbelt forests of Katberg and Amathole in the Eastern Cape is possibly isolated from the rest of the population (Kryštufek et al. 2008).

Population trend

Trend

The species is traditionally reported as rare and the great majority of known individuals were collected or trapped since 2002 (Kryštufek et al. 2008; Arnolds 2009; Gebe 2014). It has a strong subpopulation in the Amathole forest complex, and it is suspected that the extent of occurrence might increase extensively if the entire forest complex was sampled. Between 2002 and 2003, relative densities were described for three sites in the Eastern Cape: 5.1 specimens were caught per 100 trap nights in Hobbiton (Hogsback Forest); 0.8 specimen per 100 trap nights were caught in Fort Fordyce Nature Reserve; and, in Great Fish River Nature Reserve (GFRNR), 2.2 specimens per 100 trap nights were caught (Kryštufek et al. 2008). At one specific site in GFRNR – a riverine Combretum forest – Gebe (2014) similarly recorded a yearly trapping success of 2.2 captures per 100 trap nights, with a minimum of 0.7 capture in spring and a maximum of 4.2 in autumn. Gebe (2014) recorded a minimum of 38 different individuals over the whole year in a 6 ha forest stretch, which corresponds to a density of 6.3 individuals / ha. However, some populations of this species can fluctuate locally with rainfall, in a “boom and bust” fashion.

The population trend in the assessment region is unknown, but it is unlikely to be declining. It is probably under-represented in the literature, as although the species can sometimes be detected when traps are exclusively set on the ground (Arnolds 2009), 75–82% of captures in Afromontane forest (Malinga 2003; Dali 2006) and 92–100% of captures in Combretum lowland forest were made with traps set in trees (Kryštufek et al. 2008; Gebe 2014).

Threats

There are no major threats to this species, however deforestation due to agricultural expansion and resource extraction in forests, as well as expanding residential development in coastal forests, may result in local subpopulation declines or even extinction. Additionally, as this species lives in moist evergreen forests, it may be threatened to a minor extent by increasing aridity, due to climate change.

Uses and trade

This species is not known to be traded or utilised in any form.

Conservation

This species occurs in several protected areas within the assessment region, for example Fort Fordyce Nature Reserve, Mpofu Nature Reserve and Great Fish River Nature Reserve. There are no specific interventions currently necessary, but the species would benefit from protected area expansion to include key forest complexes and biodiversity stewardship schemes that could provide corridors for movement.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Landowners and city planners can conserve corridors of forest on their properties.
Research priorities:
  • A more accurate determination of the geographic distribution of this species is required.
  • Taxonomic revision of this species complex is necessary.
  • Studies on the reproductive biology and colonisation (dispersal) abilities would provide precious information on the potential resilience of this species to future threats.
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Report sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iSpot and MammalMAP), especially outside protected areas. However, due to morphological similarity and sympatric distributions in some parts, misidentification of this species with G. dolichurus is common.

References 

[@book{275,
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 author = {Skinner, J.D. and Chimimba, C.T.},
 publisher = {Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom},
 title = {The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion},
 year = {2005}
}
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 publisher = {Trustees of the National Museums and Monuments of Rhodesia},
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,@phdthesis{9453,
 author = {Nqinana A.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Diet of the marsh mongoose Atilax paludinosus in the Andries Vosloo Kudu Nature Reserve (Eastern Cape Province, South Africa) B.Sc. Honours Thesis.},
 year = {2009}
}
,@phdthesis{9453,
 author = {Bizani M.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Diet of the yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) in the Albany Thicket Biome of South Africa. M.Sc. Thesis.},
 year = {2014}
}
,@phdthesis{9453,
 author = {Matolengwe T.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Diet of the small-spotted genet, Genetta genetta (Carnivora: Viverridae), in the Great Fish River Reserve (South Africa). M.Sc. Thesis.},
 year = {2010}
}
,@phdthesis{9453,
 author = {Mbatyoti OA},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {The diet of the Cape grey mongoose Galerella pulverulenta in the Albany Thicket Biome (South Africa). B.Sc. Honours Thesis.},
 year = {2010}
}
,@phdthesis{9453,
 author = {Arnolds LJ.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Vegetation sampling in correlation with small mammal abundance and richness in the Andries Vosloo Kudu Nature Reserve (Eastern Cape, South Africa). B.Sc. Honours Thesis.},
 year = {2009}
}
,@phdthesis{9453,
 author = {Dali LO.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Observations on the ecology of the Mozambique woodland mouse, Grammomys cometes, in Afromontane forest at Hogsback in Eastern Cape province, South Africa. B.Sc. Honours Thesis},
 year = {2006}
}
,@proceedings{9453,
 address = {Kwaluseni, Swaziland.},
 editor = {Do Linh San E, Arnolds L, Matolengwe T, Mbatyoti A, Nqinana A, Buwa L, Madikiza Z},
 series = {11th African Small Mammal Symposium},
 title = {Small mammal abundance, diversity and richness in the Andries Vosloo Kudu Nature Reserve (Eastern Cape, South Africa)},
 year = {2011}
}
,@phdthesis{9453,
 author = {Gebe Z.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Resting site ecology and microhabitat use of the Mozambique thicket rat (Grammomys cometes) in a riverine Combretum forest. M.Sc. Thesis},
 year = {2014}
}
,@article{9453,
 author = {Kryštufek B, Baxter RM, Haberl W, Zima J, Bužan EV.},
 journal = {Journal of Mammalogy},
 pages = {325–335},
 title = {Systematics and biogeography of the Mozambique thicket rat, Grammomys cometes, in Eastern Cape province, South Africa.},
 volume = {89},
 year = {2008}
}
,@phdthesis{9453,
 author = {Malinga TJ.},
 school = {University of Fort Hare},
 title = {Observations on the population ecology of Grammomys cometes in Hogsback Forest, Eastern Cape, South Africa. B.Sc. Honours Thesis},
 year = {2003}
}
,]
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