Red List of South African Species

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

Rationale

Listed as Least Concern because it ranges extensively within the assessment region and at times has been recorded as extremely abundant due to occasional population explosions. The rate of habitat loss in the North West Province, which constitutes a large portion of the species’ extent of occurrence, was 12% between 1994 and 2010. However, because this species is able to exist in agricultural habitats and wildlife ranching is expanding in the North West Province, we retain the Least Concern listing. Due to confusion with M. minutoides in the past, the distribution of this species has not been resolved. Further vetting of museum records and field surveys to determine occupancy are required in order to resolve the uncertainty around this species.

Regional population effects: There is presumably dispersal across contiguous habitat from Botswana and Namibia into Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and surrounding areas.

Distribution

The geographic extent of this species’ range is largely uncertain, owing to the confusion with M. minutoides (Lamb et al. 2014). However, based on molecular grounds, it has been confirmed from three widely separated localities across South Africa and Botswana, suggesting that it has a wide distribution across the arid and semi-arid regions of southern Africa (Lamb et al. 2014). Although its range was previously suggested to extend into northeastern Namibia, southwestern Zambia, western Zimbabwe and southern Angola, no records of this species were confirmed from these regions by Lamb et al. (2014). It is possible that the previous records from southwestern Angola and Namibia belong exclusively to the species M. sybilla (previously recognised as a subspecies of M. indutus; Meester et al. 1986).

Within the assessment region, its range is believed to include the Northern Cape, North West, Gauteng and Free State provinces of South Africa. Within the North West Province, this tiny mouse species was found on a few occasions throughout the province, and was more often recorded than the nationally more common Pygmy Mouse, M. minutoides (Power 2014). Additionally, specimens from Tussen die Riviere in the Free State have recently been assigned to M. indutus using molecular markers and thus the range of the species should be extended south to 30°29’ S (Veyrunes et al. 2004) (Figure 1), which is reflected in Monadjem et al. (2015). Finally, the presence of this species has also been confirmed in the Sandveld Nature Reserve (near Bloemhof Dam in the Free State) on the basis of their karyotype (2n = 36) (F. Veyrunes & J. Britton-Davidian unpubl. data). Further vetting of museum records is required to delimit its distribution comprehensively.

Population trend

Trend

Although the population status of this species is uncertain, they are considered to be one of the most abundant species in the Kalahari. Additionally, this species may experience periods of population explosion when conditions are favourable and food availability increases. Their population numbers rise rapidly, followed by a population crash to very low levels (Smithers 1971). Within the assessment region, very few are trapped, possibly because of their small body size. However, they occur in disturbed habitats and we suspect there are over 10,000 mature individuals. This species occurs sympatrically and has regularly been confused with M. minutoides (Chevret et al. 2014), thus caution should be taken when conducting population surveys of this species.

Threats

No major threats have been recognised for this species. However, Driver et al. (2012) document considerable loss of natural habitat in North West Province due to agricultural expansion, mining, and human settlement expansion. This species can exist in disturbed habitats and, given the proliferation of wildlife ranching within the province (Power 2014), should continue to be stable. While they are able to survive in degraded areas, hugely overgrazed areas and areas transformed into habitats with little or no biomass for forage and shelter would negatively impact this species (Hoffmann & Zeller 2005). Additionally, climate change is predicted to affect resource availability and distribution of arid and semi-arid regions.

Uses and trade

This species does not appear to be utilised or traded in any form.

Conservation

The Desert Pygmy Mouse occurs in many protected areas within the assessment region and no specific conservation interventions are necessary at present. However, further research is required to delineate the population dynamics, current and potential threats, as well as the general ecology and life history traits of this species. Should this species become a nuisance, due to population explosions, Barn Owls are a valuable means of biocontrol for nocturnal rodent species.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Landowners and managers should breed Barn Owls to mitigate the species as an agricultural and human health threat.
Research priorities:
  • Accurate distribution mapping and the identification of population size and trend estimates is necessary. This includes vetting museum records.
  • Investigations into this species’ ability to survive in agricultural areas and on wildlife ranches.
  • Population trends in disturbed areas.
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Accurate sighting reports of this species on virtual museum platforms is unlikely, considering the morphological similarities between this species and M. minutoides.
  • Citizens can plant indigenous gardens, like Brenthurst Gardens in Johannesburg, and create corridors of natural vegetation between properties.
  • Save electricity and fuel to mitigate CO2 emissions and hence the rate of climate change.

References 

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,]
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