Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: David Jacobs Peter Taylor Lientjie Cohen Kate MacEwan Leigh Richards Corrie Schoeman Theresa Sethusa Ara Monadjem
Contributors: Claire Relton Matthew Child Domitilla Raimondo
Reviewers: David Jacobs Peter Taylor Lientjie Cohen Kate MacEwan Leigh Rosanne Richards Corrie Shoeman Theresa Sethusa Ara Monadjem

Rationale (Changed due to Other)

Rüppell’s Horseshoe Bat is known from fewer than ten colonies within the assessment region (with an estimated extent of occurrence of 19,150 km²). However, there is no documented evidence of decline or any plausible threats that could cause continuing decline. It occurs predominantly in Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) and Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area (GMTCA), and savannah habitats are well protected within the assessment region. It is plausible that the mature population is < 1,500 mature individuals, qualifying it as Near Threatened D1. However, its habitat is connected across regions and it is common and widespread outside of the assessment region, so rescue effects are possible and we downlist to Least Concern. If colonies are discovered outside protected areas within the assessment region, reassessment may be necessary as such colonies may be threatened. Taxonomic resolution is also required.

Regional population effects: Wing-loading is low (Cotterill & Happold 2013), but habitat is connected with populations in Zimbabwe through the GLTP and GMTCA. Thus, we assume rescue effects are possible.

Distribution

This species has a broad, yet patchy distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal and The Gambia in West Africa to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the east, and then through East and southern Africa southwards as far as Namibia and the northeastern reaches of South Africa (Monadjem et al. 2010; Cotterill & Happold 2013; ACR 2015). Its distribution is likely to be more expansive than current records suggest (Cotterill & Happold 2013). For example, it has not yet been recorded from northeastern Botswana but is likely to occur there (Cotterill & Happold 2013). Two geographically isolated populations occur in the east and west of southern Africa:

In the east, it occurs from northern South Africa through Zimbabwe, southern and eastern Zambia, southern Malawi, southern Democratic Republic of the Congo and central and northern Mozambique; while the western population occurs widely in central and northern Namibia and southwestern Angola (Monadjem et al. 2010). These two populations may be shown to be distinct species (Monadjem et al. 2010; Cotterill & Happold 2013).

Within the assessment region, it is restricted to the very northern region of the Limpopo Province. Based on known recorded colonies, extent of occurrence is estimated to be 19,150 km², and area of occupancy is 7,529 km² (based on occupied grid cells). There are unverified reports that this species might also occur in the Northern Cape Province from specimens collected at Klipfontein in Namaqualand (Herselman & Norton 1985), but these records need to be substantiated (Monadjem et al. 2010).

Population trend

Trend

In parts of its range, this species is locally common, and has been reported occurring in large colonies. For example, colonies consisting of 500 individuals were documented in caves in Namibia (Churchill et al. 1997). It is considered locally common in West Africa and Malawi but rarer in southern Africa (Cotterill & Happold 2013). It is relatively well represented in museums, with over 90 specimens examined in Monadjem et al. (2010). Generally, colonies encountered in the western population are larger whereas those from the eastern population, including South Africa and Zimbabwe, tend to be smaller (Monadjem et al. 2010; Cotterill & Happold 2013). For example, Rautenbach (1982) collected two specimens from the Limpopo Province that were solitary. It has been recorded in fewer than ten localities within the assessment region.

Threats

Globally and nationally, no major threats have been identified for this species. Within the assessment region, the species is known from two major transfrontier protected areas where threat severity is presumably very low. However, if colonies are discovered outside protected areas, more research will be needed to identify and quantify the potential severity of threats.

Uses and trade

There is no evidence to suggest that this species is traded or utilised in any form.

Conservation

No specific conservation interventions are currently necessary as this is an edge of range species occurring within Kruger and Mapungubwe National Parks, and its range is continuous into Zimbabwe through transfontier conservation areas.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Field surveys to discover new roost sites and confirm occupancy of existing roost sites.
Research priorities:
  • Systematic monitoring to estimate population size and trends.
  • Taxonomic research is necessary to clarify the status of this species complex and delineate relationships between subspecies throughout the rest of its range.
  • Substantiating the prospect of the species occurring in the Northern Cape Province.
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Citizens can assist in 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. This is especially important outside protected areas.

References 

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