Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Emmanuel Do Linh San Gerrie Camacho Lourens Swanepoel Samantha Page-Nicholson Christopher Stuart Mathilde Stuart
Contributors: Zimkitha Madikiza
Reviewers: Emmanuel Do Linh San Gerrie Camacho Lourens Swanepoel Samantha Page-Nicholson Christopher Stuart Mathilde Stuart

Rationale (Changed due to Knowledge of criteria)

Meller’s Mongoose is listed as Least Concern since, although it is uncommon and lives at low density across its distribution, the majority of its range encompasses well-protected savannah habitats, such as Kruger National Park. The expansion of wildlife ranching may have created additional suitable habitat, especially bordering Kruger. Although this species may be experiencing local declines from dog hunting and maybe road collisions or untargeted snaring and poisoning, there is no evidence to suggest that this is causing range-wide decline. However, camera-trap monitoring should be used to assess occupancy more comprehensively and to estimate densities. This species’ conservation status should be reassessed when better data become available.

Regional population effects: Although this species is on the edge of its range in the assessment region, dispersal is likely across the northern borders and therefore rescue effects are presumably possible.

Distribution

Meller’s Mongoose is confined to the eastern sections of the African continent and throughout its range it is not considered common (Skinner & Chimimba 2005). It ranges from central Tanzania south through Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, to Swaziland and northeastern South Africa (Stuart & Stuart 2013). A possible record from Chobe National Park in Botswana (Purchase et al. 2007), if substantiated, would be the first record for this country. The presence of Meller’s Mongoose has recently been confirmed in the Lower Zambezi Protected Area Complex (Bird & Mateke 2013) as well as in the North Luangwa Valley where it was one of the two small carnivore species camera-trapped most often (White 2013). This small carnivore has also been recorded in Niassa Game Reserve, Mozambique (C.M. Begg and K.S. Begg pers. comm. 2012) and camera-trapped frequently in recent years in Debshan Ranch, north of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (C.R. Edwards pers. comm. 2015–2016).

Within the assessment region, Meller’s Mongoose is rare but it has been recorded in eastern Mpumalanga, southeastern parts of Limpopo, and in the north of Swaziland (Skinner & Chimimba 2005). However, its presence in Swaziland has not been confirmed since 1937, when a type specimen was recorded (Skinner & Chimimba 2005). Camera-trapping studies in the Ka-Ndengeza and Vyeboom villages (Vhembe district, Limpopo Province) and the Greater Lydenburg Area (Mpumalanga Province) in South Africa confirmed this species’ presence (L.H. Swanepoel and G. Camacho pers. obs. 2014). Recent camera-trap studies have also confirmed its presence in the Maputaland Conservation Unit of KwaZulu-Natal Province (Ramesh et al. 2016) and it has been identified from Ithala Game Reserve (C. Stuart & M. Stuart unpubl. data; these data are not reflected in Figure 1 as they were unavailable at the time of the assessment), which extends its known distribution range to the south of Swaziland. In Mpumalanga they have been recorded from 250 m asl to 1,500 m asl; in Tanzania they have been recorded up to 1,850 m asl (De Luca & Mpunga 2005).

Population trend

Trend

Meller’s Mongoose is considered uncommon to rare, but it may be easily overlooked or confused with other mongoose species such as Water Mongoose (Atilax paludinosus), White-tailed Mongoose (Ichneumia albicauda) or Selous’ Mongoose (Paracynictis selousi). Population size is unknown. However, it is an edge of range species and its range is continuous with other regions. As there are no major threats to this species and its stronghold within the assessment region is likely Kruger National Park (KNP), we infer that overall the population is stable.

Threats

There are no major threats to the species. Its favoured habitat is extensive, and in some parts overlaps with very low human population densities. However, in some parts of the range (e.g. KwaZulu-Natal) there has been considerable expansion of the human population and their dogs (sensu Grey-Ross et al. 2010), which could represent a significant localised threat (Stuart & Stuart 2013). While the species has been recorded in areas dominated by domestic/feral dogs (Ka-Ndengeza and Vyeboom villages, Vhembe district, Limpopo Province), detection rates were low (L.H. Swanepoel pers. obs. 2014). Meller’s Mongooses are sometime killed by vehicles, but the impact of this threat is probably low. Finally, it is likely that a small number of individuals are killed or poisoned as bycatch in some control operations of damage-causing animals, but we do not have data to confirm this assumption.

Uses and trade

It is unknown whether Meller’s Mongoose is used as bushmeat. It is assumed that, like several other Carnivora, this species may be utilized in muthi (traditional medicine). However, as the chances of capturing this mongoose are low (owing to its skittish nocturnal and solitary behaviour), it is highly unlikely that it is highly sought after and actively hunted. Instead it might rather be killed accidentally by dogs when hunting for ungulates or lagomorphs.

The expansion of wildlife ranching may have created additional suitable and preserved habitat, especially bordering KNP. It is possible that Meller’s Mongoose does well in partially degraded grassland – being in some wildlife ranches or well-managed cattle ranches – since some harvester termites (e.g. Hodotermes spp.) are more effective and abundant when grasslands are overgrazed or disturbed (Picker et al. 2004). Highly overgrazed areas, however, are unlikely to be favourable to Meller’s Mongoose. Because this small carnivore seems to naturally live at low density, most landowners would likely not know about its presence on their land.

Conservation

Meller’s Mongoose have been recorded from several protected areas across its range. It is protected in KNP, the private protected areas on the western boundary of KNP and several protected areas in KwaZulu-Natal.

Currently, there are no conservation actions that target this species. More information on the biology and ecology of Meller’s Mongoose, and a better evaluation of the impact of identified and suspected threats, are needed in order to adequately evaluate whether conservation interventions need to be devised and implemented. Meanwhile, some general conservation interventions will certainly benefit the species.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Conserve termite mounds where possible.
  • Use holistic (selective or non-lethal) control methods for damage-causing animals.
Research priorities:
  • Assess occupancy and estimate densities in selected areas of this species’ distribution, possibly by means of camera-trapping.
  • Conduct in-depth studies to acquire a better understanding of the biology and ecology of the species, notably regarding population demographics at the local scale.
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Report sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iSpot and MammalMAP), especially outside protected areas. As confusion with other mongoose species is possible, a photograph is required for confirmation of identification.

References 

[@book{275,
 address = {Cambridge},
 author = {Skinner, J.D. and Chimimba, C.T.},
 publisher = {Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom},
 title = {The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion},
 year = {2005}
}
,@book{1087,
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 author = {Meester, J.A.J., Rautenbach, I.L., Dippenaar, N.J. and Baker, C.M.},
 publisher = {Transvaal Museum },
 title = {Classification of Southern African Mammals. Monograph number 5.},
 year = {1986}
}
,@article{16484,
 author = {Grey-Ross, R,Downs, C.T., and Kirkman, K. },
 journal = {South African Journal of Wildlife Research},
 pages = {43--52},
 title = {An assessment of illegal hunting on farmland in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: implications for oribi (Ourebia ourebi) conservation},
 volume = {40},
 year = {2010}
}
,@article{4144,
 author = {Ramesh T, Kalle R, Rosenlund H, Downs CT},
 journal = {Forest Ecology and Management},
 pages = {20--29},
 title = {Native habitat and protected area size matters: Preserving mammalian assemblages in the Maputaland Conservation Unit of South Africa},
 volume = {360},
 year = {2016}
}
,@inbook{8542,
 address = {London},
 author = {},
 booktitle = {<i>Felis nigripes</i>},
 editor = {Sliwa, A.},
 publisher = {Bloomsbury Publishing},
 title = {The Mammals of Africa. Volume V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses},
 year = {2013}
}
,@techreport{41590,
 address = {Mbeya, Tanzania},
 author = {De Luca, D.W. and Mpunga, N.E.},
 institution = {Wildlife Conservation Society},
 title = {Carnivores of the Udzungwa Mountains: Presence, distributions and threats},
 year = {2005}
}
,@techreport{41597,
 address = {Bulawayo},
 author = {Purchase, G.K., Mateke, C. and Purchase, D.},
 institution = {The Zambezi Society},
 title = {A review of the status and distribution of carnivores, and levels of human–carnivore conflict, in the protected areas and surrounds of the Zambezi Basin},
 year = {2007}
}
,@article{41622,
 author = {Bird, T.L.F. and Mateke, C.W.},
 journal = {Small Carnivore Conservation},
 pages = {47--59},
 title = {A preliminary survey of the presence and distribution of small carnivores in the Lower Zambezi Protected Area Complex, Zambia},
 volume = {48},
 year = {2013}
}
,@book{41623,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Picker, M.D., Griffiths, C. & Weaving, A. },
 publisher = {Struik},
 title = {Field Guide to the Insects of South Africa },
 year = {2004}
}
,@article{41623,
 author = {White, P.A.},
 journal = {Small Carnivore Conservation},
 pages = {37--46},
 title = {Distribution, habitat use and activity patterns of nocturnal small carnivores in the North Luangwa Valley, Zambia},
 volume = {48},
 year = {2013}
}
,]
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