SANBI

Rationale

Listed as Least Concern because this is a widespread and locally common species within the assessment region, occurring in several protected areas, including Kruger National Park and Tswalu Kalahari Reserve. This species is adaptable and can live in modified habitats such as rural gardens, and there is no identified threat that could cause widespread population decline. Its wide habitat use allows this species to inhabit semi-deserts, grasslands, savannahs and forests and it has also been recorded on the edges of marshes and vleis.

Regional population effects: It is distributed widely in the sub-region, and there is possible movement from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia into South Africa. The ability of this species to utilise transformed habitats, including degraded grassland and agricultural land, increases the rescue effect of this species.

Distribution

This species occurs extensively across the savannahs of southern Africa (Monadjem et al. 2015), and is present within southwestern Tanzania, Angola (Crawford-Cabral 1998), Zambia, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia (although they are absent along the coast and in the south), Swaziland and South Africa. Generally, their range extends from 50 m to about 2,000 m asl.

Within the assessment region, the Pouched Mouse occurs in all provinces. This species occurs in high numbers on the northern plains of the Kruger National Park (MacFadyen 2007) in the Limpopo Province, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve in the Northern Cape, and Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve in the Limpopo Province (MacFadyen pers. comm). It was absent in the Telperion, between Witbank and Bronkhorstspruit (MacFadyen 2014). The species occurs throughout the bushveld parts of the North West Province, and was particularly numerous in the Kuruman Mountain Bushveld vegetation type (Power 2014). In the Free State, this species generally only inhabits the southern portions of the province (Lynch 1983), but has been recorded in the Sandveld Nature Reserve in the western Free State (Avenant & Watson 2002). In Swaziland, this species is abundant in regions of suitable habitat (A. Monadjem pers. comm. 2015).

Habitat View more ecological information

Population trend

Trend

This species is relatively common across its range. Numbers fluctuate seasonally with fewer occurring in cool, dry weather (Perrin 2013). It was the second most common species after Mastomys natalensis on the northern plains, Kruger National Park, and the population at Nâwashitshumbe enclosure site in northern Kruger is estimated at 9 animals / ha (MacFadyen 2007). At Tswalu Kalahari Reserve there were 5 animals / ha (D. MacFadyen unpubl. data). Density varies according to habitat and burning regime (see Perrin 2013). In the Acacia woodland habitats of Imfolozi Game Reserve, abundance was found to increase during drought periods (Bowland 1986); however, this region is more mesic compared to the rest of this speciesâ distribution. Following taxonomic resolution, if S. campestris is split into separate species, this population status could change.

Threats

There are no major threats to this adaptable species as they are widely distributed and locally common (Perrin 2013). However, the following pressures may cause local population declines:

Urbanisation: this species is impacted by traffic, dogs and urban security practices, i.e. high walls, etc.
Mining: areas which are transformed by incorrect mining practices would impact abundance and distribution.
Pet trade: this species complex behaves similarly to hamsters and are known to habituate well, thus they are occasionally kept as pets. This is, however, expected to have a minimal impact on the population.
Bushmeat: it is likely that this species is eaten opportunistically, because they are easily caught and are mild in nature.

Uses and trade

Although currently unconfirmed, this species may be used for bushmeat, due to its mild nature and slow movements, but this is not suspected to occur on a large scale. There is some potential for this species to enter the pet trade, and they are kept in captivity as pets (D. MacFadyen pers. obs.)

Conservation

This species occurs in several protected areas throughout its range, including Kruger National Park, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Rooipoort Nature Reserve and Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve. The threats of hunting and collecting of this species as bushmeat or pets is thought to have limited impact on the population. No specific conservation interventions are necessary at present.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:

Develop or maintain corridors of natural vegetation in urban areas.
Educate communities on the contribution of small mammals to healthy ecosystems.
Enforce correct mining practices, including post mining rehabilitation practices.
Monitor the pet trade for trafficking of indigenous species.

Research priorities:

Conduct molecular studies to resolve possible taxonomic issues.
Determine distribution range based on genetic variations within the species.
Estimate population densities across its range.

Encouraged citizen actions:

Report sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iSpot and MammalMAP), especially outside protected areas
Educate rural communities on the contribution of small mammals to healthy ecosystems.
Exert pressure on mining and forestry companies to rehabilitate areas and promote conservation offsets.
Plant indigenous plants, especially wild grasses, as well as provide corridors of natural vegetation to allow for movement through areas of suitable habitat.

References

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