Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Corrie Shoeman Claire Relton James Harvey Ara Mondajem
Contributors: Matthew Child Nico Avenant Margaret Avery Rod Baxter Duncan MacFadyen Guy Palmer Peter Taylor Beryl Wilson
Reviewers: Corrie Shoeman Claire Relton James Harvey Ara Mondajem

Rationale

This species is currently listed as Least Concern due to its wide distribution within the assessment region and its potential ability to survive in modified landscapes, such as fallow fields. However, it is naturally rare and trap-shy and thus population size may be fairly small. Further taxonomic resolution is required as this species, due to its disjunct distribution within the assessment region, may represent several endemic species, some of which may potentially be threatened. For example, S. krebsii was not recorded during a recent survey in North West Province. Reassessment should follow once molecular and additional field data are available. Density and occupancy should also be calculated to facilitate more accurate future revision. It is uncertain whether there are any threats to this species but presumably habitat loss is causing local and regional declines.

Regional population effects: This species has a scattered, disjunct distribution through southern Africa. Limited dispersal may be possible between South Africa and Botswana across the Molopo River, although the species was not recorded in North West Province during a recent survey (Power 2014).

Distribution

Kreb’s Fat Mouse has a wide, yet disjunct, distribution across southern Africa, occurring in the southwestern region of South Africa, parts of central South Africa, Lesotho, northern Botswana, the Caprivi Strip and northern regions of Namibia, Angola and Zambia. This species appears to avoid the subtropical eastern regions of southern Africa (Monadjem et al. 2015).

Within the assessment region, it has been identified from the Northern Cape, North West, Gauteng, the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, as well as the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces. Barn Owl (Tyto alba) pellet analysis reveals a wider distribution in the Western Cape Province than previously recorded (Avery et al. 2005). Lynch (1994) recorded the species in Lesotho. Worryingly, the last record from North West Province is from the Molopo Nature Reserve in 1996 (Newbery 1996), but it was not recorded there between 2010 and 2013 despite similar sampling effort (J. Power pers. comm. 2016), and was not recorded elsewhere in North West Province (Power 2014).

Population trend

Trend

Although the geographic extent of this species is wide, it appears to occur in low densities, and may be trap shy; thus no accurate population estimate or trend is available. For example, of 13 localities sampled in Lesotho, it was only recorded from two by Lynch (1994).

Threats

No major threats have been identified for this species. However, habitat loss from agricultural transformation and mining may potentially be causing local declines, especially in North West and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. More research is needed to determine the degree to which it can exist in agricultural landscapes or fallow fields.

Uses and trade

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

Conservation

This species is present within a number of protected areas, such as the Cape Peninsula National Park, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Outeniqua Nature Reserve, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and possibly Molopo Nature Reserve (but see Power 2014). No specific conservation initiatives have been identified for this species. More research on its taxonomy, ecology and threat status is necessary.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Systematic surveys needed to gather information on population size and trends.
Research priorities:
  • Taxonomic resolution of the Steatomys genus. It is likely that this species complex represents two to three endemic species.
  • Assessing potential threats to this species.
  • Population size, distribution and trend estimates.
  •  Diet, reproduction and general biology.
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Report sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iSpot and MammalMAP), especially outside protected areas. However, due to their morphological similarities, misidentification of this species with Steatomys pratensis is common. See taxonomic note for distinguishing characteristics.

References 

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