SANBI

Rationale

Although the species has a very restricted range within the assessment region, being recorded only from the Pafuri region of Kruger National Park, it is widespread (although patchily distributed) elsewhere in Zimbabwe and East Africa. Because it occurs exclusively in a protected area, and there are no plausible threats within the assessment region or throughout its range, it does not qualify for Vulnerable D2. Its population size is unknown but is assumed to be stable inside Kruger National Park. Thus we list this species as Least Concern.

Regional population effects: It has a high wing loading (Monadjem et al. 2010), and thus we assume dispersal and rescue effects are possible.

Distribution

This species ranges through East Africa, southern Africa and a few localities on the island of Madagascar (Monadjem et al. 2016). It has been recorded from a number of regions in eastern and southeastern Africa, along the border of Kenya and Uganda, as far south as Zimbabwe, central and northern Mozambique, southern Malawi, the very northern reaches of South Africa, with an isolated record in northeast Zambia (Monadjem et al. 2010, 2016). Specimens from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo form the most westerly records (Monadjem et al. 2010). In Madagascar, this species is predominantly restricted to the central-southern region near to Fianarantsoa and Isalo National Park, and there are records from Tolagnaro near the southeast coast (Jenkins et al. 2007; Cotterill et al. 2008). Its altitudinal range extends from about sea level (at Fort Dauphin in Madagascar) to close to 2,000 m asl (in the Albertine Rift of East Africa). In the assessment region, the species is recorded only from the northern areas of the Limpopo Province of South Africa in Pafuri, Kruger National Park (Figure 1). The estimated extent of occurrence is 19.05 kmÂ².

Habitat View more ecological information

Population trend

Trend

Although sporadically distributed in mainland Africa, it is considered locally common. It roosts communally in small to medium-sized groups, which may number over 30 individuals (Cotterill 2001), but do not exceed 100 individuals (ACR 2015; Monadjem et al. 2016).

Threats

Across its range there are no major threats to this species (ACR 2015; Monadjem et al. 2016). Considering it occurs exclusively within a protected area (Kruger National Park) in the assessment region, no plausible threats have been identified.

Uses and trade

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

Conservation

There are currently no active conservation measures necessary for this species. It occurs exclusively within the protected Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Research priorities:

Additional studies into the geographic range and taxonomic status of individuals allocated to T. fulminans are required (Monadjem et al. 2016), and particularly the relationship between African mainland and Madagascan populations needs to be investigated.

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.

References

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