Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Kate MacEwan Leigh Richards Lientjie Cohen David Jacobs Ara Monadjem Corrie Schoeman Theresa Sethusa Peter Taylor
Contributors: Domitilla Raimondo Matthew Child
Reviewers: Kate MacEwan Leigh Rosanne Richards Lientjie Cohen David Jacobs Ara Monadjem Corrie Shoeman Theresa Sethusa Peter Taylor

Rationale (Changed due to Incorrect data used previously)

Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution and large population. Although this species may be experiencing localised declines due to disturbance of roost sites, loss of foraging habitat due to conversion of natural areas for agriculture, and mortalities from collisions with wind turbines, it remains sufficiently widespread to not qualify under a category of threat. However, wind farms are permanent structures and there is an overlap between the species’ known and modelled distribution and that of existing and planned wind farms, which may ultimately disrupt migration routes and thus pose a major threat. Thus, systematic monitoring of subpopulation sizes and trends is needed and the status of this species must be reviewed annually.

Regional population effects: This species occurs as one continuous population within the assessment region and into neighbouring countries. It is assumed to have adequate dispersal capacity given its intermediate wing-loading (Norberg & Rayner 1987), and thus rescue effects are likely.

Distribution

This widely distributed species has largely been recorded from southern and East Africa, with some records from Central Africa and from the Arabian Peninsula. In Africa, it ranges south from Angola and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, into Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia, and from here north into Tanzania, Kenya, possibly Uganda, possibly southern Sudan and possibly Ethiopia (ACR 2015). It occurs widely within southern Africa, but with more records in the southern and eastern parts than in the arid west (Monadjem et al. 2010). It has been recorded from the southern tip of South Africa east and northwards through much of the country and neighbouring Lesotho and Swaziland, occurring in all nine South African provinces. It also occurs widely in Namibia and southern and western Angola, but appears absent from much of the Kalahari (Monadjem et al. 2010). The type specimen is from Durban, South Africa (BM 1848.6.12.19) (Monadjem et al. 2010). Because of frequent misidentification between this species and Miniopterus schreibersii, there is a need to carefully review the distribution of Miniopterus natalensis (ACR 2015). The extent of occurrence (EOO) is calculated as 1,387,139 km2.

Population trend

Trend

A common and widespread species. It roosts in small colonies but can also be found in colonies of more than 2,500 animals, with some colonies exceeding 200,000 in certain seasons, such as the De Hoop Guano Cave in the Western Cape (Monadjem et al. 2010). In the highveld caves, its numbers vary from a few individuals up to c. 4,000 (van der Merwe 1973). This species is very well represented in museums, with over 800 specimens examined in Monadjem et al. (2010).

Threats

Within the assessment region, large areas are being developed for wind energy. Wind turbines pose a major threat to this species since the life span of wind turbines is an estimated 20 years (Mortensen 2013), and there is an overlap between the species’ known and modelled distribution and that of existing and planned wind farms, with fatalities of this species having been recorded at wind energy facilities in the Eastern Cape (MacEwan 2016). Its high wing loading and aspect ratio (Norberg & Rayner 1987; Jacobs 1999; Schoeman & Jacobs 2003, 2008; Miller-Butterworth et al. 2005) suggests that this bat is a fast flyer in relatively open spaces and, because it is migratory (van der Merwe 1975), means it is prone to flying in the rotor sweep zone of wind turbines both while foraging and commuting during migration. Not all collection localities are monitored, therefore the impact of this threat to the different subpopulations cannot yet be quantified, but only inferred to be significant based on fatalities recorded from the monitored sites. The tendency of this species to roost in a few localised sites places it at risk of future population declines. Furthermore, genetic research indicates a high degree of philopatry in this species (Miller-Butterworth 2003), which means that should a colony be lost or destroyed, it may not be repopulated from other areas, potentially leading to local extinction.

Additionally, in parts of its range, it is locally threatened by habitat loss resulting from conversion of land to agricultural use, incidental poisoning with insecticides (and associated loss of prey base), and the disturbance of roosting and maternity caves by tourist activities and religious ceremonies (ACR 2015). However, as this species is widespread and common within the assessment region and throughout much of Africa, the threats listed above are not likely to be having a significant impact on the overall population.

Uses and trade

This species is not known to be traded or utilised in any form.

Conservation

The species occurs in more than 15 protected areas within the assessment region and many roosts are well protected. There is a need to identify and protect additional important roost sites (especially maternity caves) and to gain a better understanding of their migratory routes. The impact of wind farming should also be monitored to determine resultant population decline. No direct conservation interventions are necessary at present. However, to mitigate mortalities from turbine collisions on wind farms, interventions such as using ultrasound to deter bats and curtailing turbines at low wind speeds could be employed (Baerwald et al. 2009; Berthinussen et al. 2010; Arnett et al. 2011).

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Data sharing by wind farm managers into a national database to be able to calculate cumulative impacts and thereafter implement collaborative mitigation and management efforts is needed.
Research priorities:
  • Monitoring mortalities linked with wind farm operations and assessing impact on populations.
  • Research in identifying key migratory routes.
  • Investigations into effective mitigation methods to reduce bat mortality around wind farms.
  • Molecular research to resolve the species complex.
  • Better determine the range of this species when compared to that of Miniopterus schreibersii (ACR 2015).
Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Limit disturbance to roost sites.
  • Deposit any dead specimens at local museums or Bat Interest Groups.

References 

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,]
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