Red List of South African Species

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Critically Endangered (CR)
Assessors: Andrew Morton
Facilitators: Mark Williams
Reviewers: Silvia Kirkman Domitilla Raimondo Rolf Oberprieler

Rationale

A very range restricted endemic taxon from the Western Cape, South Africa (EOO 1 km<sup>2</sup>, AOO 16 km<sup>2</sup>). There are two locations. Housing and development has on the Cape Flats has destroyed most suitable habitat for this taxon and it has been reduced to one last population. The drought is also impacting the host plant. Despite efforts to protect the last remaining site, less than 25 adults were recorded during the last flight period in 2016. It therefore qualifies as Critically Endangered under criteria B and C.

Distribution

Endemic to the Western Cape Province in South Africa, from a small area of the Cape Flats in and around Strandfontein.

Decline

Although the habitat along the Strandfontein road has been fenced and the alien vegetation cleared, the habitat is declining. The current drought in Cape Town has led to drying-out of the seeps in which the taxon’s foodplant grows. Imminent widening of the road that bisects the main colony will increase human/vehicular traffic through the habitat and the incidence of fires sparked by cigarette ends thrown from car windows and disposed of by passers-by.

Population trend

Trend

Very low numbers recorded over the last few years. Ongoing research for a thesis by Ismat Adams.

Threats

Heavier vehicular traffic on the Strandfontein road, which bisects the main colony, has increased the incidence of specimens being hit and killed by vehicles and the amount of air-borne toxins and pollutants from exhaust fumes being released into the habitat. It has also increased the risk of fire in the area caused by passing motorists disposing of smoldering cigarette ends. The current drought in Cape Town has led to the seeps drying out. Alien vegetation, mainly wattles, has in the past led to drying-out of the seeps and increasing risk of fire frequency and intensity. The constant threat of a road-widening project looms. Nefarious activities and dumping have been curtailed by fencing off the area.

Conservation

The Cape Town municipality has erected a fence around the Strandfontein portion of the taxon’s habitat, which has curtailed some of the nefarious activities and dumping, and has also cleared the habitat of alien wattles. The Gantouw Project (part of Cape Town Environmental Trust activities) has been implemented to reintroduce kudus (large herbivores) to prevent the area from being over-vegetated and to control alien wattle. A new locality for the butterfly was found away from Strandfontein road. A student project funded by The Brenton Blue Trust has gathered life-history and ecological data, and The Kedestes Conservation Committee has been set up (with the taxon author as chairman) to develop a strategy to protect this taxon. The committee includes members from concerned groups, including the City of Cape Town, LepSoc Africa, UCT and Cape Town Environmental Education Trust.

References 

[@book{772,
 address = {Johannesburg &Cape Town},
 author = {Mecenero, S., Ball, J.B., Edge, D.A., Hamer, M.L., Henning, G.A., Krüger, M., Pringle, E.L., Terblanche, R.F. & Williams, M.C. (eds)},
 publisher = {Saftronics (pty) Ltd and  Animal Demography Unit, University of Cape Town},
 title = {Conservation assessment of butterflies of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland: Red List and Atlas.},
 year = {2013}
}
,@book{772,
 address = {Pretoria},
 author = {Henning, G.A., Terblanche, R.F. & Ball, J.B. (eds)},
 publisher = {South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 title = {South African Red Data Book: butterflies. SANBI Biodiversity Series},
 year = {2009}
}
,@article{772,
 author = {SANBI},
 journal = {South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 pages = {0},
 title = { Vegetation Map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland [vector geospatial dataset] 2012. Available from the Biodiversity GIS website.},
 volume = {0},
 year = {2012}
}
,@book{882,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Pringle, E.L., Henning, G.A. & Ball, J.B. (eds)},
 publisher = {Struik-Winchester},
 title = {Pennington's Butterflies of southern Africa.},
 year = {1994}
}
,@book{890,
 address = {Pretoria},
 author = {Henning, S.F. & Henning, G.A.},
 publisher = {Council for Scientific and Industrial Research},
 title = {South Africa Red Data Book - Butterflies.},
 year = {1989}
}
,@book{10963,
 address = {CapeTown},
 author = {Claassens, A.J.M.},
 publisher = {Tafelberg},
 title = {Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula: A comprehensive guide.},
 year = {2000}
}
,@article{10963,
 author = {Taylor, A.},
 journal = {Conservation Diploma Project},
 pages = {0},
 title = {Re-evaluation and GIS Mapping of the remaining Habitat Status of the Cape Flats <i>Kedestes</i> subspecies.},
 volume = {0},
 year = {2008}
}
,@article{10963,
 author = {Allan, T.},
 journal = {Conservation Diploma Project},
 pages = {0},
 title = {Evaluation of the taxonomic and habitat status of <i>Kedestes barberae bunta</i> and <i>Kedestes lenis lenis</i>.},
 volume = {0},
 year = {2004}
}
,]
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