Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Aliza le Roux Zoe Balmforth Akhona Mbatyoti Mfundo Bizani Nico Avenant
Contributors: Matthew Child
Reviewers: Paolo Cavallini Emmanuel Do Linh San

Rationale

Within the assessment region there is no reason to change the status of this species from Least Concern. The Yellow Mongoose is relatively widespread, common and resilient, adaptable to change (whether anthropogenic or not), and is not facing any immediate threats to its distribution or population. Its distribution in Swaziland and Lesotho needs to be assessed. As it is often persecuted for its perceived status as a damage-causing animal, the main interventions for this species are awareness and education campaigns for landowners and the provision of incentives for sustaining a natural prey base.

Regional population effects: There is dispersal between regions and its range is continuous.

Distribution

The Yellow Mongoose is largely confined to southern Africa. Within this range, it occupies the drier western parts, being widespread in Namibia, Botswana – as far north as the top of Chief's Island in the Okavango Delta (K. Collins pers. comm. 2016) – and much of central and western South Africa (Lynch 1989). It is however absent from the Namib Desert and the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, the Lesotho Highlands (Lynch 1994, Avenant 2004, ERM 2010), and the easterly regions of southern Africa (Taylor 2013). The status in Zimbabwe is unclear: the species appears generally absent, except for an unconfirmed sighting in Hwange National Park suggesting that it is still present in the Zambezi basin (Purchase et al. 2007).

Within the assessment region, Yellow Mongooses occur everywhere, except in the south coast forest, the east coast (from East London northwards), the Lesotho Highlands, and the lowveld and bushveld areas of Limpopo Province (Figure 1). Several recent studies referred to below (see Population and Habitats and Ecology) confirm the existence of healthy populations of Yellow Mongooses at various locations in South Africa. For example, in the Free State Province, they have been recorded from both protected areas, including Sandveld Nature Reserve (Avenant and Watson 2002), Soetdoring Nature Reserve (Kuyler 2000), Tussen-die-Riviere Nature Reserve (Watson 2006), Golden Gate National Park (Avenant 1997), and in modified or disturbed areas (Avenant 2008, 2011a, 2011b), including farmlands in the Western Cape (Vidya et al. 2009). There have also been numerous recent sightings and rabies cases (with Yellow Mongooses as the vector) reported in the eastern Free State State (Bishop et al. 2010). Yellow Mongooses are common in the Northern Cape Province (Bishop et al. 2010), including the rangelands (Blaum et al. 2007, 2008). In the North West Province, a recent survey revealed that they were common in the arid south and west regions, especially the southern grasslands, but few were recorded in the Kalahari habitats of the Molopo region (Power 2014). Additionally, a small carnivore survey confirmed their presence in Namibia (Kauffman et al. 2007).

Apart from Lesotho, this current distribution is not significantly different from the species’ historical distribution. Yellow Mongooses are expected to occur in natural habitat in the western lowlands of Lesotho, as they are common in the eastern Free State on the northwest side of the Caledon River (Lynch 1975, N.L. Avenant pers. obs. 1995–2016), but there are only six sightings recorded since the early 1980s (Lynch 1994). Similarly, they have not been recorded from Swaziland (Monadjem 1998), although, based on suitable habitat, they may well occur in this country. A range expansion into the south coast of the Western Cape, due to the expansion of crop agriculture, especially wheat lands, in these regions, may have occurred over the past decades (Figure 1, Taylor and Meester 1993).

Population trend

Trend

The Yellow Mongoose population appears to be stable. Population densities vary across the assessment region, probably correlating with habitat productivity and predation pressure, with the highest densities reported for grassland regions of South Africa. For example, Earlé (1981) reported a density of 133–200 individuals / km2 on a site on the Vaal River, which was an island for much of the year and thus probably enabled high population density. A population density of 6–7 individuals / km2 was estimated in the West Coast National Park of South Africa (Cavallini 1993a, Cavallini and Nel 1995). Similar densities were observed in the Great Fish River Nature Reserve (Eastern Cape; 4–10 individuals / km2; E. Do Linh San unpubl. data). Two widely distant and well-studied sites (Kuruman River Reserve near Vanzylsrus, Northern Cape, and farmland along the south coast, near Bredasdorp/Heidelberg, Western Cape) also exhibited thriving subpopulations (Vidya et al. 2009). The density for the farmland was 23–26 individuals / km2 during the period 2001–2003 (Balmforth 2004), whereas that for Kuruman River Reserve was 4–14 individuals / km2 (Le Roux et al. 2008, 2009).

Recent research has focused on subpopulations within and outside of protected areas, highlighting that this species is not restricted to nature reserves (e.g., Le Roux et al. 2009; Makenbach et al. 2013; see also Lynch 1980, 1983, 1989). It is flexible in terms of social behaviour, diet, and heterospecific interactions (see Habitats and Ecology). Often thriving in farmland, it is not strongly affected by a growing human population size. Its highly adaptable behaviour will likely ensure the survival and growth of the Yellow Mongoose population across southern Africa. Overall, studies reporting on mongoose behaviour or rabies outbreaks continue to strongly suggest that this species is common (e.g., Davis et al. 2007), widely distributed, and adaptable. As such, given their large range and high densities, we infer there are > 10,000 mature individuals within the assessment region and that the population is stable.

Threats

There are no major threats to the species. Minor threats include incidental/accidental poisoning, or occasional deliberate hunting/poisoning (Taylor and Meester 1993). Hunting and shooting of Yellow Mongooses have been reported on farmland in the Western Cape (between 2001 and 2003) and on some farms in the Free State (Lynch 1980, 1983), where the species is temporarily regarded as a pest around the maize fields, largely because these small carnivores dig up the pits when they are planted (N.L. Avenant pers. obs. 1995–2016). However, persecution does not appear to impact the population, which occurs at higher density on farmland than in natural areas in the Western Cape Province (Balmforth 2004, Vidya et al. 2009). It may also be persecuted as a vector for rabies, especially in the Free State Province (Bishop et al. 2010). Lynch (1980) mentioned that Yellow Mongooses are also persecuted in some areas in the Free State due to the general belief that they kill new-born sheep. However, this is a low level threat and appears to have little, if any, impact on the population, which has remained at high density (A. le Roux pers. obs. 2012–2016). Another minor, localised threat may be the impact of road mortalities in some areas (W. Collinson unpubl. data; Z. Balmforth pers. obs. 2001–2003). Finally, in the Lesotho Lowlands, high human population density and “associated” dogs are expected to have led and be responsible for maintenance of the current extremely low densities of the species (Lynch 1994, N.L. Avenant pers. obs. 2000–2014).

Uses and trade

To our knowledge this species is not utilised in any way.

Conservation

The Yellow Mongoose occurs in numerous protected areas across its range in southern Africa and within the assessment region. No specific conservation interventions are necessary. However, education and awareness campaigns might be used, in conjunction with other affected species, to reduce persecution on farmlands. In areas where the Yellow Mongoose is a recognized, major vector for rabies, for example, in the northern parts of the Eastern Cape, the Free State, southern parts of Gauteng and south western parts of Mpumalanga (Bishop et al. 2010), such campaigns may be less effective. Similarly, holistic management of ranch lands and game farms should be encouraged, particularly habitat or ecosystem management that tends to sustain a natural prey base, such as conserving patches of natural habitat and lowering stocking densities (Bowland and Perrin 1989, Eccard et al. 2000).

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners: Since the species is an important vector of rabies (Zumpt and Hassel 1982, Bishop et al. 2010), its abundance close to settlements should be monitored, and relevant health departments informed should rabies cases appear. No active monitoring is taking place, although some subpopulations have been under recent study for epidemiological and behavioural research. In most of these cases, population dynamics is not the central focus of the research. However, it is typically included in the monitoring of small carnivores (e.g., Blaum et al. 2008), species check lists (e.g., Avenant 1997, Avenant and Watson 2002, Watson 2006) and environmental assessments (e.g., Avenant 2008).

Research priorities:
  • Field surveys in Lesotho and Swaziland to confirm Yellow Mongoose presence/absence and distribution in these countries.
  • Degree to which this species is still a rabies vector, and in which specific areas within its distribution range.
  • Effectiveness of awareness and education campaigns in reducing persecution on farmlands.
  • The impact of high Black-backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas) densities on Yellow Mongoose abundance and distribution (sensu Kamler et al. 2012).
  • Level of reproductive suppression in cooperatively breeding groups and how/whether this varies with density (as other aspects of sociality do). For example, hormone and genetic studies to determine levels of suppression (how many females are breeding per group in different populations) and whether suppression ever takes place pre-gestation (vs via infanticide post-gestation).
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • While this species is not under threat, it would be ideal for visitors to neighbouring countries such as Lesotho and Swaziland to be actively looking out for Yellow Mongoose, and report sightings on virtual museum platforms (e.g., iSpot and MammalMAP).
  • When in any doubt, take carcasses (using plastic gloves to place the carcasses in a bag) to a veterinarian for rabies testing.

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,]
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