Red List of South African Species

Alternatively, Explore species
| National Red List categories | Partners |
Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Bryan Maritz Andrew Turner
Facilitators: Graham Alexander Krystal Tolley
Reviewers: Michael Bates Juan-Jacques Forgus Krystal Tolley Luke Verburgt

Rationale (Changed due to Knowledge of criteria|Criteria Revision)

Although the species has a relatively small distribution in South Africa (extent of occurrence ca. 7,200 km2), approximately half its distribution is within Protected Areas. Outside the Protected Areas, much of the habitat has been transformed and this species is unlikely to be very tolerant of habitat alteration. Because of a large portion of the distribution is within a Protected Area (iSimangaliso Wetland Park), it is considered Least Concern.

Distribution

The species is found across much of sub-Saharan Africa. It is widespread in the Congo Basin, extending marginally into adjacent areas such as southern Nigeria and northern Zambia, with isolated subpopulations in South Sudan and eastern and southern Africa, the southernmost occurring in northeastern KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa (Bates et al. 2014). Upper Guinea subpopulations are now excluded from this distribution, as they are referred to as Bitis rhinoceros. The subpopulation in South Africa is geographically isolated, with the nearest subpopulation in the forests of the eastern escarpment of Zimbabwe and adjacent forests in Mozambique (Broadley 1990, Spawls and Branch 1995, Branch 1998, Phelps, 2009, Bates et al. 2014).

Population trend

Trend

Bodbijl (1994) estimated the South African Bitis gabonica population to consist of no more than 500 individuals, but Warner (2009) suggests that this is an underestimate and estimates the South African population of mature individuals to be between 1,900 and 3,500 individuals. Given that at least half the species distribution occurs in a large Protected Area, the population is considered to be stable.

Threats

This species has a restricted distribution in South Africa and is largely dependent on forests which are constantly being degraded outside of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. It is threatened due to habitat loss outside of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, collection for the pet and muti (traditional medicine) trades, road mortality, and is indiscriminately killed by locals in areas of forest encroachment outside protected areas. The habitat may also be threatened by mining of mineral-rich sands that dominate the habitat of this species in South Africa in the future.

Uses and trade

The species is collected from the wild for the pet and muti (traditional medicine) trades. There are no figures on the number of specimens taken from the wild relative to captive bred animals.

Conservation

Tracking population trends both inside and outside the Isimangaliso Wetland Park would be useful.


References 

[@article{14114,
 author = {Perrin, M.R. and Bodbijl, T.},
 journal = {South African Journal of Wildlife Research},
 pages = {115--126},
 title = {Habitat selection and small mammal prey availability of the gaboon adder in Zululand (KwaZulu-Natal), South Africa},
 volume = {31},
 year = {2001}
}
,@book{612,
 address = {Pretoria},
 author = {Bates, M.F., Branch, W.R., Bauer, A.M., Burger, M., Marais, J., Alexander, G.J. and de Villiers, M.S.},
 publisher = {Suricata 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 title = {Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland},
 year = {2014}
}
,@book{2817,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Branch, W.R.},
 publisher = {Struik Publishers},
 title = {Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Edition},
 year = {1998}
}
,@book{2817,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Alexander, G.J. and Marais, J.},
 publisher = {Struik Publishers},
 title = {A Guide to Reptiles of Southern Africa},
 year = {2007}
}
,@book{2817,
 address = {Frankfurt, Germany},
 author = {Phelps, T.},
 publisher = {Chimaira},
 title = {Old World Vipers. A natural history of the Azemiopinae and Viperinae},
 year = {2009}
}
,@book{10242,
 address = {Parklands, South Africa},
 author = {Broadley, D.G.},
 publisher = {Jonathan Ball and Ad. Donker Publishers},
 title = {FitzSimons' Snakes of Southern Africa},
 year = {1990}
}
,@book{110133193,
 address = {Halfway House, South Africa},
 author = {Spawls, S. and Branch, W.R.},
 publisher = {Southern Book Publishers},
 title = {The Dangerous Snakes of Africa},
 year = {1995}
}
,@article{13300893,
 author = {Lenk, P., Kalyabina, S., Wink, M. and Joger, U.},
 journal = {Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution},
 pages = {94--104},
 title = {Evolutionary relationships among the true vipers (Reptilia, Viperidae) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences.},
 volume = {19},
 year = {2001}
}
,@phdthesis{13300893,
 author = {Warner, J.K.},
 school = {University of the Witwatersrand},
 title = {Conservation biology of the Gaboon Viper (<i>Bitis gabonica</i>) in South Africa},
 year = {2009}
}
,@article{13300893,
 author = {Phelps, T.},
 journal = {The Herpetological Bulletin},
 pages = {26--27},
 title = {<i>Bitis gabonica</i> (Gaboon Adder): Unusual mortality},
 volume = {86},
 year = {2003}
}
,@phdthesis{13300893,
 author = {Bodbijl, T.},
 school = {M.Sc. thesis. University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg},
 title = {The Autecology of the Gaboon Adder, <i>Bitis gabonica gabonica</i>, in Zululand},
 year = {1994}
}
,]
Send feedback about this assessment to SANBI

Lead agencies, Partners and Funders

See the partners page