Red List of South African Species

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

Rationale

An endemic species from Mpumalanga Province in South Africa (EOO 5 km<sup>2</sup>). There is one location and the quality of the habitat is declining due to mining activities, alien vegetation invasion and inappropriate fire regimes. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Critically Endangered under criterion B. The 2013 assessment was based on the information that there were two to five locations. This is incorrect as there is only a single location which continues to suffer from ongoing habitat degradation. The previous assessment should have been Critically Endangered too, thus the status change from Endangered to Critically Endangered is non-genuine.

Distribution

Endemic to Mpumalanga Province in South Africa, found only in the mountains north-east of Barberton.

Decline

"Notwithstanding the fact that the area of occupancy of the butterfly has been registered as a private nature reserve, there is ongoing legal and illegal mining in the reserve and its surrounds.\n\nThere has been a gradual spread of alien vegetation, especially eucalypts and wattles, since the late 1960s and no attempts have been made to control or remove the aliens. Communal livestock, including cattle, donkeys and goats from surrounding rural communities have free access to the taxon's habitat. Increasing numbers of these animals may have a negative impact on the habitat. Fire regimes are also unregulated and members of the rural communities can set fire to the habitats inappropriately in attempts to induce growth of green grass for their livestock."

Population trend

Trend

There is no information currently available.

Threats

Notwithstanding the fact that the area of occupancy of the butterfly has been registered as a private nature reserve, there is ongoing legal and illegal mining in the reserve and its surrounds. There has been a gradual spread of alien vegetation, especially eucalypts and wattles, since the late 1960’s and no attempts have been made to control or remove the aliens. Communal livestock, including cattle, donkeys and goats from surrounding rural communities have free access to the taxon's habitat. Increasing numbers of these animals may have a negative impact on the habitat. Fire regimes are also unregulated and members of the rural communities can set fire to the habitats inappropriately in attempts to induce growth of green grass for their livestock.

Conservation

A management plan that includes appropriate habitat protection and management should be developed and implemented as soon as possible.

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}
}
,@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}
}
,@article{890,
 author = {Mucina, L. & Rutherford, M.C. (eds)},
 journal = {Strelitzia},
 pages = {0},
 title = {The Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.},
 volume = {19},
 year = {2006}
}
,]
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