SANBI

Rationale

The species is listed as Least Concern. Although this species is not abundant, it is widespread in suitable habitats across the northeastern reaches of South Africa. Similar to other species in the genera Elephantulus and Macroscelides, it occupies habitats that are arid and will not support many types of human development. There are no known major threats to this species or its habitats. Although there are no specific data available on population trends, there is no reason to believe that numbers are increasing or decreasing significantly due to any factors other than natural variation in environmental conditions in the relatively arid habitats that this species occupies. It is possible that desertification and bush encroachment due to various anthropogenic factors might impact this species, but without specific data this is speculation. Habitat loss through agriculture and mining developments in the assessment region may also cause local declines, but this is not expected to be threatening the population overall. More field surveys are required to affirm these suspicions.

Regional population effects: The habitats this species occupies are largely intact and connected across regions so dispersal is possible.

Distribution

The most widespread species of Sengi, but it is among the most localized in South Africa (Rathbun 2005). The species is found from northern South Africa through northeast Namibia (where they are confined to the north-east), east and central Botswana, Angola, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique north to Democratic Republic of Congo. In East Africa, found in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Within the assessment region, it occurs mostly in Limpopo Province, but also in North West, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga provinces. It is also recorded from Swaziland (Monadjem 1998). There are no range shifts recorded.

Habitat View more ecological information

Population trend

Trend

This species, although widespread, is only locally common. It also occurs in fallow agricultural lands and grazed lands. No national population estimates are available but the population is expected to be stable.

Threats

There are no major identified threats to the species within the assessment region. However, expansion of crop agriculture, overgrazing on cattle and game farms and mining activity â particularly in North West and Limpopo provinces â may lead to local declines. As this species needs dense ground cover, imprudent fire regimes and overgrazing may be detrimental, which is corroborated by results that demonstrate they significantly prefer unburnt areas following fires (Yarnell et al. 2008).

Uses and trade

There is no evidence to support that this Sengi species is used for local or international trade.

Conservation

The species is expected to occur in protected areas within the assessment region (for example, Pilanesberg National Park, North West Province), but these records must be more formally documented and confirmed. Although no specific interventions are necessary at present, this species is suspected to benefit from protected area expansion and mine rehabilitation or biodiversity offsets. Yarnell et al. (2008) studied this species by radio-tracking 11 individuals on the Mankwe Wildlife Reserve, east of Pilanesberg National Park and recording their response to fire. All individuals were found immediately sheltering in termite mounds after fires, which suggests that landowners should protect such microhabitats as a key refuge area for this species and other small mammals. As individuals were restricted to patches of unburned vegetation following fire, an important intervention is to design fire management strategies that leave sufficient patches of unburned vegetation (Yarnell et al. 2008).

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:

Land managers should stock cattle or wildlife at ecological levels, employ natural fire regimes and protect termite mounds as refugia for small mammals during fire.

Research priorities:

Further filed surveys to refine distribution mapping within the assessment region and determine occupancy across different land uses.
Determine the impact of anthropogenic land modifications on sengi populations.

Encouraged citizen actions:

Citizens are encouraged to report sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iSpot and MammalMAP), preferably with photographic confirmation.

References

[@book{19520513,
 address = {Pretoria, South Africa.},
 author = {Mucina, L. and Rutherford, M.C.},
 publisher = {Strelitzia 19. South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 title = {The Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland},
 year = {2006}
}
,@techreport{5228,
 author = {Power, R.J.},
 institution = {Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation & Tourism, North West Provincial Government, Mahikeng},
 title = {The distribution and status of mammals in the North West Province},
 year = {2014}
}
,@article{5228,
 author = {Monadjem, A.},
 journal = {Koedoe},
 pages = {45--59},
 title = {Distributional patterns and conservation status of mammals of Swaziland, southern Africa},
 volume = {41},
 year = {1998}
}
,@inbook{7136,
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,@article{41621,
 author = {Yarnell, R.W., Metcalfe, D.J., Dunstone, N., Burnside, N. and Scott, D.M.},
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 title = {The impact of fire on habitat use by the short-snouted elephant shrew (<i>Elephantulus brachyrhynchus</i>) in North West Province, South Africa},
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,@article{42658,
 author = {Leirs H, Verhagen R, Verheyen W, Perrin MR},
 journal = {Mammal Review},
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 title = {The biology of <i>Elephantulus brachyrhynchus</i> in natural miombo woodland in Tanzania},
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,@inbook{42658,
 address = {London, UK},
 author = {Kingdon  and Happold  and Hoffmann  and Butynski  and Happold  and Kalina },
 booktitle = {Species accounts: Order Macroscelidea, Family Macroscelididae, Genus <i>Elephantulus, E. edwardii, E. intufi, E. myurus, E. rozeti, E. rufescens</i>; Genus <i>Macroscelides; M. proboscideus<i>},
 editor = {Perrin M, Rathbun GB},
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 title = {Mammals of Africa, Volume I},
 year = {2013}
}
,]

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