Red List of South African Species

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Near Threatened (NT)
Assessors: David Jacobs Kate MacEwan Lientjie Cohen Ara Monadjem Leigh Richards Corrie Schoeman Theresa Sethusa Peter Taylor
Contributors: Lizanne Roxburgh Samantha Page-Nicholson Claire Relton
Reviewers: Matthew Child Domitilla Raimondo

Rationale (Changed due to New Information)

This species is known from fewer than five locations in South Africa, in the northwestern Northern Cape Province. Its extent of occurrence is estimated at 10,138 km2, with a population of fewer than 1,000 individuals suspected. It thus qualifies for Vulnerable D1+2 but is downlisted to Near Threatened based on the regional criterion. It is potentially threatened by mining activities and by the expansion of wind farm sites in the Northern Cape, but there is no evidence for decline as yet, and it occurs primarily in protected areas. However, these potential threats should be monitored because, if the population is shown to be declining, this species will qualify for a more threatened listing.

Regional population effects: This species is present in Namibia and the population is suspected to be continuous due to connected habitat and low human population pressure. Thus, although it has a relatively low wing loading (Schoeman & Jacobs 2008), we assume rescue effects are possible.

Distribution

This southern African species ranges from the type locality of Moçâmedes in southwestern Angola, southwards through western Namibia (the four localities of Berseba, Huab River mouth, Lüderitz district, and 70 km west of Maltahohe) (Herselman 1980; Skinner and Chimimba 2005) and from fewer than five locations in the Northern Cape of South Africa.

Population trend

Trend

The Angolan Hairy Bat appears to avoid traps and is thus rarely recorded. Subsequently, it is poorly represented in museums, with just 26 specimens examined in Monadjem et al. (2010). There are likely to be fewer than 1,000 individuals occurring within the assessment region.

Threats

There are no major threats to this species. However, it may be locally threatened by mining operations in some parts of its range (ACR 2015). Additionally, it may be threatened by the expansion of wind farm infrastructure in the Northern Cape (Baerwald et al. 2008), specifically between Springbok and Kleinsee. It is, however, considered to have a low risk of collision risk with wind turbines (Sowler & Stoffberg 2014).

Uses and trade

There is no evidence that this species is traded or utilised for commercial or subsistence use.

Conservation

This species is present with the Richtersveld National Park and Augrabies Falls National Park. Although no direct conservation interventions are necessary at present, the impact of wind farming should be monitored to determine population decline (if any) for this species. Additionally, conservation planning and engagement with both the mining and wind energy sectors are needed to mitigate population and habitat loss and disturbance.
Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Engagement with the mining and wind energy sectors to mitigate future impacts on this species and its roosting sites.
  • Known roosts should be overlain on a map with existing and planned wind farm sites to identify key sites for protection.
Research priorities:
  • Field surveys and niche modelling to more accurately delimit the distribution of this species.
  • Taxonomic revision of this species is required, specifically its relationship with C. lesueuri.
  • Further studies are needed into the reproductive and feeding ecology of this little known species.
  • To determine how best to mitigate wind farm sites to decrease mortalities of insectivorous bats in turbines
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Report sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iSpot and MammalMAP), especially outside protected areas.
  • Limit disturbance to roost sites

References 

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 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{9077,
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}
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}
,@book{19529,
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 title = {Bats of Southern and Central Africa: a biogeographic and taxonomic synthesis},
 year = {2010}
}
,@techreport{44787,
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 author = {ACR},
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 year = {2013}
}
,@article{44787,
 author = {Lack, J.B., Roehrs, Z.P., Stanley, C.E., Ruedi, M. and Van Den Bussche, R.A.},
 journal = {Journal of Mammalogy},
 number = {4},
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 title = {Molecular phylogenetics of <i>Myotis</i> indicate familial-level divergence for the genus <i>Cistugo</i> (Chiroptera)},
 volume = {91},
 year = {2010}
}
,@article{44787,
 author = {Lack, J.B., Roehrs, Z.P., Stanley, C.E., Ruedi, M. and Van Den Bussche, R.A.},
 journal = {Journal of Mammalogy},
 number = {4},
 pages = {976–992},
 title = {Molecular phylogenetics of Myotis indicate familial-level divergence for the genus Cistugo (Chiroptera)},
 volume = {91},
 year = {2010}
}
,@article{4317,
 author = {Schoeman MC, Jacobs DS},
 journal = {PLoS One},
 pages = {e3715},
 title = {The relative influence of competition and prey defenses on the phenotypic structure of insectivorous bat ensembles in southern Africa},
 volume = {3},
 year = {2008}
}
,@article{7931,
 author = {Schoeman, M. C. },
 journal = {PhD thesis, University of Cape Town, Cape Town},
 title = {The relative influence of competition and coevolution on the community structure of insectivorous bats in southern Africa},
 year = {2006}
}
,@article{44788,
 author = {Thomas, O.},
 journal = {Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 8},
 pages = {395--403},
 title = {On a collection of small mammals from the Tsin-ling Mountains, Central China, presented to Mr. G. Fenwick Owen to the National Museum},
 volume = {10},
 year = {1912}
}
,@article{44788,
 author = {Seamark, E. C. J. and Kearney, T. C. },
 journal = {Afr. Bat Conserv. News },
 pages = {2--4},
 title = {New distribution of the Angolan winggland bat (Cistugo seabrae Thomas 1912)},
 volume = {7},
 year = {2006}
}
,]
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