Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Leigh Richards Corrie Schoeman Peter Taylor Wendy White Lientjie Cohen David Jacobs Kate MacEwan Ara Monadjem Theresa Sethusa
Reviewers: Domitilla Raimondo

Rationale (Changed due to New Information|Other)

This species is widely but patchily distributed across much of sub-Saharan Africa. Within the assessment region, it has been recorded from a number of localities in KwaZulu-Natal around the Durban area and has recently been shown to be more widely distributed, having been recorded from both Kruger (KNP; 11 localities) and Mapungubwe National Parks (MNP; two localities) with an estimated extent of occurrence of 194,973 km² covering 33 known localities in total. Subpopulations are suspected to be stable and (in Limpopo at least) fairly well protected in the assessment region. However, extant synanthropic roof roosts within the greater Durban area, on which the species relies, are rare and may still be subject to persecution from ill-informed home owners. Worryingly, very few breeding males have been recorded or re-sampled in the Durban area within recent times (K. Richardson unpubl. data). While it is difficult to sample due to its high-altitude foraging behaviour, it is considered rare (typically < 1% of recorded calls during acoustic sampling). Since there are typically 10–30 mature individuals in each colony within the assessment region, we infer a mature population size of 330–990 animals. While continuing decline is not suspected, colony sizes are small and vulnerable to local extinction due to roost disturbance and loss. This species thus qualifies as Vulnerable D1 as inferred population size is < 1,000 mature individuals. However, due to its good dispersal capacity, we assume rescue effects are possible and employ the regional criterion to downlist to Near Threatened D1. Further data on its occurrence, subpopulation sizes and trends are urgently needed and this species may qualify for a more threatened listing once additional data are available.

Regional population effects: With the discovery of subpopulations in Limpopo and Botswana, this species’ range is suspected to be connected with that of Zimbabwe and northeastern Mozambique. Wing-loading is high (Norberg & Rayner 1987), and thus dispersal capacity is assumed to be good, indicating that rescue effects are possible.

Distribution

The Large-eared Giant Mastiff Bat has a patchy distribution across Africa occurring from Ghana and Côte d’Ivore in the West, extending eastward through to Central African Republic, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and southwards towards Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, northwestern Mozambique and South Africa (Skinner & Chimimba 2005; Monadjem et al. 2010; Adams et al. 2015). Adams et al. (2015) also recorded its presence in the Tuli Block of Botswana, the first published records for the country, which indicates the species is more widespread in southern Africa than previously thought but the species continues to be rare throughout most of its range. Within the assessment region, this species was originally thought to be restricted to several localities in the KwaZulu-Natal Province, centred around Durban (Fenton et al. 2004; Monadjem et al. 2010). However, acoustic data has expanded its range 870 km north to Limpopo Province where the species has recently been recorded from several localities in Kruger National Park (KNP) and Mapungubwe National Parks (MNP) (Adams et al. 2015). These data thus bridge the gap between the most southerly localities in the greater Durban area with those of the nearest known occurrence records from southwestern Zimbabwe in 1978 at the Sengwa Wildlife Research Area (Fenton & Bell 1981), and northwestern Zimbabwe near the Kariba Dam (Hutton 1986). Current gaps in distribution probably reflect insufficient sampling rather than absence. However, the record from southwest Limpopo is probably attributable to a vagrant animal swept off course by strong winds as it appeared to be starving and was collected dead clinging to the wall of a house. Current estimated extent of occurrence within the assessment region is 194,973 km².

Population trend

Trend

This species occurs in isolated regions across a broad distributional range and is considered rare. For example, of 32 sites surveyed in Kruger National Park (KNP), it accounted for 0.74% of 11,655 echolocation call sequences and similarly comprised 0.16% of 1,284 call sequences in Mapungubwe National Parks (MNP) (Adams et al. 2015). However, past surveys have proved that this species can be locally common in certain areas (Long 1995; Taylor 1998; Fenton et al. 2002; Skinner & Chimimba 2005). For example, within the residential and agricultural areas around Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, it was once regularly observed (Fenton et al. 2002; Monadjem et al. 2010). However, there have been very few recent records of adult males from the Durban region (K. Richardson unpubl. data), and thus field surveys are required to ascertain current occupancy. In the Durban region, colonies consist of 30 or fewer individuals (Fenton et al. 2002). While colony size estimates are not available from Limpopo, we tentatively infer that that there are 10–30 mature individuals in each colony within the assessment region. Thus, based on 33 identified localities, this corresponds to a total mature population size of 330–990 animals. This could be an underestimate, based on as yet undiscovered subpopulations, which is corroborated by the observation that this species is difficult to sample given that it forages at altitudes exceeding 600 m (Fenton & Griffin 1997), making trapping in mist-nets difficult. However, it could also be an overestimate, as recent surveys in the Durban region have not been able to identify even 20 extant colonies. Further field data and research are needed to estimate population size more accurately.

In other parts of southern Africa, fewer than 10 specimens of this species have been collected (Monadjem et al. 2010). Globally, this species is suspected to be declining (but probably at a rate of less than 30% over ten years), owing to the probable continued loss of the known major East African populations, which now most likely refer to O. harrisoni (Ralph et al. 2015), while smaller subpopulations from southern Africa may be increasing (Mickleburgh et al. 2008).

Threats

The leading threat to this species across its range appears to be roost disturbance. Major colonies of Otomops spp. in East Africa seem to have disappeared through disturbance of their cave habitats (Mickleburgh et al. 2008). Monitoring of subpopulations in KwaZulu-Natal over the past 10 years has shown that this species is not stable, yet is able to make use of human-modified landscapes for roost sites. However, localised threats still include roost disturbance and possible indirect poisoning through the use of toxic timber treatments and persecution from ill-informed home-owners (Fenton et al. 2002). While threats to the Limpopo subpopulations are not yet identified, roost disturbance and removal of large trees used as roost sites are plausible threats. Agricultural expansion and the use of pesticides may also impact the prey populations on which this species depends.

An emerging threat to this species may be wind farm development in KwaZulu-Natal due to the open-air foraging behaviour of, and large nightly distances covered by this species. When bats fly near to turbine blades, they either collide directly with the blade or they experience barotrauma which is tissue damage caused by rapid excessive changes in air pressure near turbine blades (Baerwald et al. 2008; Rydell et al. 2010).

Uses and trade

There is no evidence to suggest that this species is traded or harvested within the assessment region.

Conservation

For African populations, this species is listed as Appendix II (2006) under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). Within the assessment region, it has been recorded from both Kruger National Park (KNP) and Mapungubwe National Parks (MNP) in Limpopo (Adams et al. 2015); and Queen Elizabeth Park Nature Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal. It is protected by provincial ordinance in KwaZulu-Natal. An IUCN Species Action Plan has been developed for this species (Hutson et al. 2001). Continued monitoring of roost sites is important for the conservation of this species. There is an urgent need to reassess the status of all known roosts (and to locate additional localities) to ascertain numbers and status of colonies, so that key sites can be identified (Mickleburgh et al. 2008). Subsequently, disturbance of key localities should be restricted or managed to reduce the impact on colonies. Additionally, more research is necessary to better understand the natural history of this species and its relationship to habitat modification to develop a comprehensive and effective conservation plan (Adams et al. 2015).

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Reduce pesticide use in agricultural landscapes.
  • Identification and protection of key roosting sites.
Research priorities:
  • Systematic field surveys to determine distribution and population size and trends throughout the assessment region.
  • Quantification of threats facing this species. This includes monitoring the impact of wind farming on Large-eared Giant Mastiff Bat populations within KwaZulu-Natal and investigations into effective mitigation methods to reduce bat mortality around wind farms.
  • Basic research into life history and ecology.
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Citizens can assist the conservation of the species by reporting sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iSpot and MammalMAP), and therefore contribute to an understanding of the species distribution.

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