Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Margaretha Hofmeyr Tobias Keswick
Contributors: Ernst Baard
Facilitators: Graham Alexander Krystal Tolley
Reviewers: Graham Alexander Adriaan Jordaan Jody Taft

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

Although population densities are normally low, this species is widespread.

Distribution

Endemic to southern Africa and found throughout the Kalahari region of South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. The northeastern range limit was recently extended to include Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe (Broadley et al. 2010). This species has not yet been recorded south of the Orange River (Boycott and Branch 1989). The distribution in South Africa falls mainly in the Northern Cape and adjacent regions of the Free State and North West Province. There are no records from the eastern part of North West Province or in Gauteng, but disjunct populations occur in Limpopo.  This species does not occur in the southern and western parts of Namibia (Griffin 2003).

Population trend

Trend

The distribution in South Africa is fragmented with unsuitable habitat separating Limpopo populations from the others. Although the species is widespread, population density is usually low (Boycott and Branch 1989, Keswick and Hofmeyr 2013).

Threats

There is no serious threat to this species overall, but habitat degradation  in Limpopo Province (Hoffman et al. 1999, Schoeman et al. 2013) may cause local extinctions. Overgrazing and veld fires limit the availability of food and shelter, and may threaten the species in some regions. Predators include jackal, yellow mongoose, secretary bird and snakes (Keswick and Hofmeyr 2013, Klare et al. 2010) but the threat does not seem serious.

Uses and trade

Export from South Africa is relatively low. Indigenous people in Namibia and Botswana use decorated shells of tortoises as containers and sell these to tourists (Bonin et al. 2006), although the latter activity is illegal. Sold as a pet in Hong Kong markets (Cheung and Dudgeon 2006).

Conservation

Psammobates oculifer is included in CITES Appendix II and is protected in South Africa by provincial nature conservation ordinances and biodiversity laws at regional level. It is also protected in Botswana and Namibia and is considered Vulnerable in the latter (Griffin 2003). It occurs in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Etosha National Park and several reserves in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. No conservation measures specific to P. oculifer appear required at this time, yet populations in Limpopo Province need to be monitored.

References 

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 author = {Klare, U., Kamler, J.F., Stenkewitz, U. and Macdonald, D.W. },
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 author = {Keswick, T. },
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 title = {The Ecology of an Arid-zone Tortoise, <i>Psammobates oculifer</i>},
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}
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 author = {Keswick, T. and Hofmeyr, M.D.},
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,]
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