Rationale
Kogia breviceps and K. sima are naturally uncommon and there are no regional estimates of population size or trends. However, as they are deep-diving species (up to 800 m), the effects of marine noise pollution should be monitored (although thus far no strandings have been linked to this threat), and we urge more research into the severity of this threat within South African waters. Additionally, plastic pollution should be recognised as an increasing emerging threat, as both species are known to fatally ingest plastic bags mistaken for squid. While their offshore distributions do not overlap with many major threats in the assessment region, their natural scarcity and presumed low population numbers (especially K. breviceps) make them vulnerable to minor threats, which may be increasing in severity in the assessment region. Thus, in line with the global assessments, we list both species as Data Deficient and urge more systematic monitoring and analysis to determine population sizes and trends within the assessment region.Regional population effects: Pygmy and Dwarf Sperm Whales occur extensively across pelagic waters of tropical and temperate regions, and although their movement patterns are largely unknown, no barriers to dispersal have been recognised, thus rescue effects are considered possible.