Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Ara Monadjem Corrie Shoeman Matthew Child
Contributors: Lientjie Cohen John Power Nico Avenant Margaret Avery Rod Baxter Duncan MacFadyen Guy Palmer Peter Taylor Beryl Wilson
Reviewers: Ara Monadjem Corrie Shoeman Matthew Child

Rationale

Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution within the assessment region (occupying an array of grassland habitats), its occurrence in many protected areas (including Kruger National Park), its potential range expansion in North West Province, its tolerance of habitat modification, and because there are no major threats that could cause population decline. Research has shown that its diet consists of the most abundant grass species occurring in a particular habitat, not necessarily the most nutritious, and thus food resources may not be a limiting factor in its distribution. However, land managers should employ ecological stocking levels to avoid overgrazing and thus sustain tall grasses. Prudent fire management is recommended too.

Regional population effects: As suitable habitats are suspected to be largely connected along the northern border of South Africa with Botswana, and through Mozambique and Zimbabwe through the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, as well as between Mozambique and northern KwaZulu-Natal Province, rescue effects may be possible.

Distribution

This species is widely distributed across the savannah regions of Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, central and northern Botswana, Angola, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and southern Kenya (Monadjem et al. 2015). Within the assessment region, it occurs in the Savannah Biome in landscapes with tall, dense grass, including agricultural landscapes, distributed across KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo provinces.

Power (2014) presents evidence for a possible range expansion in North West Province: aside from being recorded throughout the mesic savannah regions, it was captured on one particular site on Khamab Kalahari Reserve in the Molopo Plains Sandy Bushveld vegetation type, which expands the range by 250 km and represents South Africa’s westernmost record (Figure 1). This may be a genuine range expansion linking to Botswana’s Kalahari population (Smithers 1971), due to the high intensity of small mammal surveying in the Molopo region (Newbery 1996).

Population trend

Trend

The Single-striped Grass Mouse is relatively common to very common across its range. For example, it was the most frequently encountered species in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal Province, representing 75% of all small mammal samples (Hagenah et al. 2009). In contrast, it was one of the least abundant murids captured at uMkuze Game Reserve, Kube Yini Game Reserve and Phinda Private Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal (Delcros et al. 2015; Rautenbach et al. 2014). It occurs in high densities in suitable habitat. For example, in an ungrazed subtropical grassland near Matsapha, Swaziland, densities ranged from 4.4 ± 0.8 to 8.2 ± 1.0 individuals / ha from 1995 to 1998 (Monadjem & Perrin 2003). Although its abundance fluctuates widely, it is more numerous in dry winter months (Monadjem & Perrin 2003).

Threats

There are no major threats to this species that could cause widespread population decline. This species is present even when large herbivores are dominant as it feeds on the most abundant grass species (Hagenah et al. 2009). Thus, livestock and wildlife ranching are not suspected to be a threat as long as tall grass structure is sustained. Similarly, although crop plantations and resultant pesticides were previously listed as a threat (Friedmann & Daly 2004), Single-striped Grass Mice will occur in agricultural landscapes if buffers of rank grass are conserved around field edges. Minor threats include overgrazing that reduces tall grass swards (Bowland & Perrin 1989), and overly frequent fire regimes that have the same effect (although it may return after grass has recovered, Monadjem & Perrin 1997). Such management practices will decrease habitat quality and may reduce the area of occupancy.

Uses and trade

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

Conservation

This species is present in many protected areas within the assessment region, including Kruger National Park, uMkuze Game Reserve and Phinda Private Game Reserve. No interventions are necessary at present. The expansion of wildlife ranching may similarly be creating additional habitat for this species, as long as the lands are not overgrazed. No specific conservation interventions are necessary at present.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Landowners and communities should be incentivised to stock livestock or wildlife at ecological carrying capacity as this species needs a tall grass structure for breeding.
  • Similarly, managers are encouraged to maintain an appropriate fire regime for the relevant habitat.
Research priorities:
  • This species may comprise at least two species based on chromosomal data (Castiglia et al. 2002). Resolving the taxonomy within the broader southern African region may alter this conservation assessment in the future.
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Report sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iSpot and MammalMAP), especially outside of protected areas on private or agricultural lands.
  • Landowners and city planners can conserve corridors of tall grassland on their properties and/or in public spaces.

References 

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