Red List of South African Species

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

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution in the assessment region, its occurrence in multiple protected areas (including Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park and Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area), its tolerance of disturbed habitats, its relative abundance compared to other species, and because there are no major identified threats that could cause widespread population decline. Further taxonomic resolution is required through molecular research.

Regional population effects: Their range is continuous with Mozambique and Zimbabwe through the Great Limpopo and Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Areas. However, it has low wing loading (Schoeman & Jacobs 2008), so rescue effects are uncertain.

Distribution

The Banana Bat is widely distributed throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa. It ranges from Senegal in the west, through West and Central Africa, to Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia in the east; from here its range spreads southwards to southeastern South Africa. The two records reported from the Kirindy Centre de Formation Professionelle Forestière Forest and from Zombitse in Madagascar (Goodman & Langrand 1994) are believed to be misidentifications (Goodman et al. 2015). It appears to be absent, or largely absent, from northern Kenya, Namibia, southern Botswana, western Zimbabwe, northern Mozambique, Lesotho and much of South Africa, but it is possible that it occurs more widely in these areas than is currently known, and further field studies are needed to investigate its distribution (ACR 2015). Within the assessment region, it occurs widely in the wetter eastern and northern parts of the region, but is absent from the arid southwest (Monadjem et al. 2010b), where it has been recorded from Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape, north through KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, southern Mozambique and the lowveld of South Africa where it occurs in the Greater Mapungubwe and Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Areas.

Population trend

Trend

In suitable habitats, this species is considered common (Happold 1987). They are well-represented in museums, with more than 500 individuals examined in Monadjem et al. (2010b). In a recent study in the Durban region, this species was the most commonly recorded of 16 species along the Umbilo River (Naidoo et al. 2011). In the non-breeding season, males roost singly but form harem groups during the breeding season (Monadjem et al. 2010b). Lactating females roost in maternity groups or alone with their young (Monadjem et al. 2010b).

Threats

There appear to be no major threats to this widespread and seemingly adaptable species, which can persist in modified habitats. However, there is ongoing habitat loss from agricultural transformation, especially in KwaZulu-Natal (Jewitt et al. 2015), which may reduce the insect prey base for this species.

Uses and trade

There is no evidence to suggest that this species is traded or harvested within the assessment region.

Conservation

This species occurs in many protected areas within the assessment region including large reserves like Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Ndumo Game Reserve, Tembe Elephant Park, Phinda Private Game Reserve, uMkhuze Nature Reserve and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve. No direct conservation interventions are necessary for the species at present. However, outside of protected areas, it would benefit from holistic land management that reduces pesticide use and conserves buffer strips of natural vegetation to sustain insect biomass.

Recommendations for land managers and practitioners:
  • Reduce pesticide use in agricultural landscapes and maintain buffer strips of natural vegetation.
Research priorities:
  • Taxonomic resolution is required to determine the relationship between populations in Ethiopia and southern Africa, as conspecificity may be unlikely, and whether this species should be placed in its own genus (Monadjem et al. 2010b).
  • Quantifying the severity of local threats is necessary.
  • Monitoring of known subpopulations should be performed to establish population size and trend.

Encouraged citizen actions:
  • Citizens can assist the conservation of the species by reporting sightings on virtual museum platforms (for example, iSpot and MammalMAP), and therefore contribute to an understanding of the species distribution.

References 

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,]
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