Red List of South African Species

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

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

The species is listed as of Least Concern in view of its wide distribution in Africa as well as in the assessment region where the extent of occurrence (EOO) is 191166 km2. This species is common, occurs in protected areas and has no known major threats.

Distribution

This species has a widespread but disjunct distribution (Happold 2013). Its distribution is split into two major groups: one range in West Africa, including north Senegal, south Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and south Angola (ACR 2015), with an additional isolated population in northern Namibia (Monadjem et al. 2010); and one covering much of eastern and southern Africa (as far south as northeastern Swaziland, in the Mlawula Nature Reserve, and northern KwaZulu-Natal). It is absent from much of the Horn of Africa, northeastern Ethiopia, eastern Tanzania, and northeastern Mozambique. In southern Africa, it occurs widely in the eastern and northern parts of the region, but is absent from the arid west and from the tropical forests of the extreme north (Monadjem et al. 2010). Within the assessment region, the species is restricted to the northeastern regions, recorded from Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa, as well as in Swaziland. The estimated extent of occurrence is 191,166 km². Its range is continuous with Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo (Monadjem et al. 2010).

Population trend

Trend

This gregarious species is considered common within its range in northeastern South Africa and Swaziland; and individuals are known to roost together in large numbers (Rosevear 1965; Rautenbach 1982). Similarly, they are often very numerous in mopane woodland in northern Zimbabwe (F. P. D. Cotterill unpubl. data). They are well represented in museums, with over 300 specimens examined in Monadjem et al. (2010).

Threats

No major threats have been identified for this species within the assessment region. However, roost disturbance and removal through logging of large trees for fuelwood and charcoal production may lead to local declines. For example, recent land-cover analysis reveals that 20% of forest and woodland cover was lost from 1990 to 2006 in the Soutpansberg Mountain region due to logging, residential expansion and pine/eucalyptus plantations (Munyati & Kabanda 2009).

Uses and trade

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

Conservation

This species occurs within a number of protected areas within the assessment region, including Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, Mlawula Nature Reserve (Swaziland), Hans Merensky Nature Reserve, Baobab Tree Reserve, Ndumo Game Reserve and iSimangaliso Wetland Park. No specific conservation measures are deemed necessary at present. However, the protection of large trees required for roosting will benefit this species.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Reduce pesticide use in agricultural landscapes.
  • Protect and preserve large trees, which provide valuable roosting sites for this species.
Research priorities:
  • Taxonomic revision, particularly with regards to the validity of proposed subspecies (Monadjem et al. 2010).
  • Studies investigating the severity of potential threats on local subpopulations.
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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