SANBI

Rationale

This rare endemic has a wide range in the KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa (EOO 42 174 km2, AOO 20 - 200 km2). It is known from five severely fragmented subpopulations, and between five to10 locations are suspected to occur. It has not been seen from two of these (Balgowan and Kowyn’s Pass) for at least 10 years, possibly due to drought or the impacts of alien vegetation. Two locations (Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park and Ncandu Nature Reserve) are in protected areas, but the others are on private land close to public roads. The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands location at Balgowan (and possible other locations in the area that are currently undiscovered) are under possible future threat from shale gas extraction. This threat did not exist at the time of the previous assessment. The locations at Shiya lo Ngcubo and Kowyn’s Pass are under threat from alien vegetation. The taxon is restricted to cool, high-altitude Afromontane forests, and at least two of these (Balgowan in the Midlands and Kowyn’s Pass) have been notably drier in recent years and the butterfly has not been recorded there for several years (since 1981 for Balgowan and 2001 for Kowyn’s Pass). Continued droughts and high temperatures could negatively impact this butterfly. Even though there is uncertainty about AOO and number of locations, the AOO is very likely to be less than 500 km2. Number of locations is suspected to be fewer than 10 and the known ones are severely fragmented, and it has not been seen in some of its best known locations for several years. The taxon thus qualifies globally under the IUCN criteria as Endangered under criterion B. The change in status is mainly due to more accurate data being used for the 2018 assessment, as well as better information being used. For the previous assessment, it was erroneously assumed that its habitat was widespread but since then it has been found that data this assumption were based on were inaccurate. Had it been known how restricted it actually was, it would have been assessed as Endangered during the first assessment. Therefore the change in status from Least Concern to Endangered is non-genuine.

Distribution

Endemic to the KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces in South Africa, scattered between Curry's Post in the south and Graskop in the north. There is an unconfirmed record from Mozambique (G. Henning, pers. comm.), which has not been taken into consideration for this assessment.

Decline

In the sites occupied by subpopulations at Balgowan, Shiya Lo Ngcubo (near Barberton) and Kowyns Pass near Graskop, the habitat is under threat from invasive alien vegetation - exotic pines and gums, Acacia mearnsii (Black Wattle) and Solanum mauritanium (Bugweed) among others. All known subpopulations' habitat is declining due to increasingly severe droughts.

Habitat View more ecological information

Population trend

Trend

The taxon is known from very few localities, and the population is highly fragmented. There are five known subpopulations. The most northerly is at the summit of Kowyn’s Pass near Graskop in Mpumalanga. There is a subpopulation at Shiya Lo Ngcubo in the hills along the South Africa/Swaziland border near Barberton, also in Mpumalanga. The most southerly subpopulation is in forests between Curry’s Post and Balgowan in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Two subpopulations are in protected areas – Ukahlamba Drakensberg Park in KwaZulu-Natal Province near the Royal Natal National Park Hotel, and Ncandu Nature Reserve on the KwaZulu-Natal/Free State border.

Threats

This is a rare taxon that has seldom been seen in recent years. Its habitat is under threat from invasion by alien species, and by increasingly frequent and severe droughts, and habitat change. Part of its range in KwaZulu-Natal Province is under possible future threat from shale gas extraction ('fracking').

Conservation

Surveys to better understand the distribution and abundance of this taxon are required. Appropriate conservation measures can only be implemented once additional information is obtained.

References

[@book{772,
 address = {Johannesburg &Cape Town},
 author = {Mecenero, S., Ball, J.B., Edge, D.A., Hamer, M.L., Henning, G.A., Krüger, M., Pringle, E.L., Terblanche, R.F. & Williams, M.C. (eds)},
 publisher = {Saftronics (pty) Ltd and  Animal Demography Unit, University of Cape Town},
 title = {Conservation assessment of butterflies of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland: Red List and Atlas.},
 year = {2013}
}
,@book{772,
 address = {Pretoria},
 author = {Henning, G.A., Terblanche, R.F. & Ball, J.B. (eds)},
 publisher = {South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 title = {South African Red Data Book: butterflies. SANBI Biodiversity Series},
 year = {2009}
}
,@article{772,
 author = {SANBI},
 journal = {South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 pages = {0},
 title = { Vegetation Map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland [vector geospatial dataset] 2012. Available from the Biodiversity GIS website.},
 volume = {0},
 year = {2012}
}
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 publisher = {Struik},
 title = {Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa.},
 year = {2005}
}
,@book{882,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Pringle, E.L., Henning, G.A. & Ball, J.B. (eds)},
 publisher = {Struik-Winchester},
 title = {Pennington's Butterflies of southern Africa.},
 year = {1994}
}
,@book{890,
 address = {Pretoria},
 author = {Henning, S.F. & Henning, G.A.},
 publisher = {Council for Scientific and Industrial Research},
 title = {South Africa Red Data Book - Butterflies.},
 year = {1989}
}
,]

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