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A Preliminary Herpetological Survey of the Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary on the San Sebastian Peninsula, Vilankulo, Mozambique

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A Preliminary Herpetological Survey of the Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary on the San Sebastian Peninsula, Vilankulo, Mozambique Herpetology Notes, volume 3: 181-193 (2010) (published online on 31 May 2010) A preliminary herpetological survey of the Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary on the San Sebastian Peninsula, Vilankulo, Mozambique Niels H.G. Jacobsen1*, Errol W. Pietersen2 & Darren W. Pietersen3 Abstract. This paper reports on and discusses the findings of a herpetofaunal survey of the San Sebastian Peninsula, Vilankulo, Mozambique. A total of 39 reptile and 20 amphibian species were recorded including new records for Mozambique, range extensions and taxa previously considered endemic to the Bazaruto Archipelago. Keywords. Herpetofauna, San Sebastian Peninsula, Vilankulo, Mozambique. Introduction These islands form a northward extension of the San Sebastian Peninsula. The herpetofauna of Mozambique is still relatively A survey of the herpetofauna of the San Sebastian poorly known, especially when compared to the rest of Peninsula was undertaken as part of a larger study of southern Africa. The most recent accounts are those of the vegetation and fauna to assess the conservation Broadley (1966a, 1983), Poynton & Broadley (1985a, importance of the area. b, 1987, 1988) and Channing 2001. In addition, it appears that some early records have been overlooked The Study Site in museum collections. Apart from these, most The San Sebastian Peninsula lies south-east of the recent records often emanate from scant, sporadic town of Vilankulo, forming the mainland extension of or opportunistic collecting (Downs & Wirminghaus the Bazaruto Archipelago which includes Margaruque, 1990). As a result there is a void in our knowledge, Benguera, Bazaruto and Santa Carolina islands (Fig. 1). which also complicates the interpretation of species’ The Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary (VCWS) distributions and even the taxonomic status of some lies along the peninsula between 22.0833 and 22.3500° species. Broadley (1990, 1992) contributed extensively S, and 35.4005° and 35.5505o E, comprising a land towards our knowledge of the herpetofauna occurring surface area of approximately 22 000 ha (Fig. 1). The on the Bazaruto archipelago, including descriptions area forms part of Mozambique known as the Gazaland of three new species and three new subspecies, all of Plain, formed from fine Kalahari sand washed down by which were believed to be endemic to the archipelago. the upper Zambezi - Limpopo river drainage system These endemics were considered surprising, owing to prior to the Plio-Pleistocene down-warping of the the view that the islands’ period of isolation from the margins of the subcontinent (King 1967, Moore 1999, mainland was too short to allow speciation to occur. Moore & Larkin 2001). The Peninsula is comprised of undulating sandy dunes rising from sea level to 96 m a.s.l (Tinley 1985). These dunes fall off steeply to the sea and bay in the north and 1 Consultant Ecologist, P.O. Box 671, Wilderness, 6560, South west, but are interspersed by low lying areas formed by Africa; e-mail: [email protected] salt marshes and mangroves as well as narrow former 2 Kalahari Oryx, P.O. Box 293, Upington, 8800, South Africa; 3 Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of beach terraces along the east and northwest. These Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002. terraces vary in width, reaching 300 – 500 m along the * corresponding author estuary and perhaps narrower in the north. Numerous 182 Niels H.G. Jacobsen et al. Figure 1. The location of the San Sebastian Peninsula and the Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary, Mozambique. pans and lakes occur along the peninsula, mostly grouped plane alternating with crests and hollows. These dunes together in the northern half. These water bodies all lie at form part of an extensive but narrow dune field extending sea level or close to it but vary in size and permanence, from Richard’s Bay in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal the largest being up to 1000 ha in extent (van der Walt, province to Bazaruto (Tinley 1985). The barrier dunes pers. comm.). Extensive freshwater swamps or marshes along the coast exhibit blowouts where the vegetation occur along the eastern and south western sides of the has been unable to prevent wind erosion. sanctuary. Along the eastern side of the peninsula lies The Peninsula and associated VCWS lies within the the Inhamambane estuary between the mainland and Flora Zambesiaca floral region (Wild & Grandvaux a sand spit. The latter extends out from the mainland, Barbosa 1968), with the dominant vegetation type being forming a long narrow promontory, most of which is Brachystegia spiciformis and Julbernadia globiflora vegetated although the vegetation peters out towards the (Miombo) woodland on Sul do Save sands. The Miombo northern tip, where bare sand and mobile dunes occur. woodland varies in canopy density, and can be classified The regional climate is referable to Koppen’s type as either closed-canopy or open-canopy interspersed by (Aw) or equatorial dry season type (Tinley 1985). The a field layer of grasses, depending on the quality of the area is warm and humid although distinctly seasonal, underlying soils. Scattered bushclumps are also present, with a pronounced dry season during the winter months as are thickets in varying stages of decline as a result of June - August although some orographic rain does of slash-and-burn agriculture and the incidence of fire. fall. Rainfall ranges from 600-800 mm per annum, Remnant dune forests and scrub are found in the north- while humidity may be exceptionally high at certain west and along the estuary in the east, mostly between times. The prevailing winds appear to be south-easterly the sea and the Miombo woodland. Tall thicket and and dunes along the east coast lie along a south-easterly forest are present in dune troughs south of the estuary, Herpetological survey of the Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary, Mozambique 183 while dense scrub dominates along the dune crests and Chingonguene village in the east, and near the airstrip. slopes in the east. Extensive mangroves communities occur around the peninsula, particularly along low-lying Cheloniidae areas which flush with sea water at high-tide, while tidal salt marshes are also present along the coast. Both Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus) 1758 annual and perennial pans and marshes are present, with Probably the most common marine turtle in seas vegetation ranging from rooted hydrophytes to a grass/ around the Peninsula. The species is herbivorous sedge community in drier parts bordered by Phoenix feeding mostly on algae and “sea grasses” which occur reclinata thickets. A number of abandoned subsistence abundantly in the area. This species is known to be agriculture fields are also present, most showing eaten by the local fishermen as carapaces and skeletal varying degrees of recovery following slash-and-burn remains have been found around human habitation in agricultural practices. ��������������������������������The soils are leached deep regic the Sanctuary. The species has also been recorded from sands covered by a layer of leaf litter in the forested the Bazaruto Archipelago (Broadley 1990, 1992). areas and sparse grass in the open savanna areas. Lepidochelys olivacea (Escholtz) 1829 Materials and Methods Three adult individuals found trapped in a fisherman’s The VCWS was first visited by one of us (NHGJ) from 13 June net that had been washed up onto the sand spit were cut to 2 July 2002, with a follow-up visit conducted from 26 August free and released. These represent the first record of the – 13 September 2002. The area was traversed by vehicle, inclu- species from the Bazaruto Archipelago. ding night drives, but mostly on foot. Initially reptiles seen or deduced as being present were recorded in a pocket note book. Pelomedusidae During the second field trip, two series of pitfall traps 100 m in length, were erected in Miombo woodland, one extending out Pelusios subniger subniger (Lacepede) 1788 from a freshwater pan. The tracks of terrapins crossing the road between two The limited number of roads and tracks hampered the accessi- pans close to Jacana camp are likely to belong to this bility of the area, especially in the eastern and southern sections, and portions of the VCWS could therefore not be surveyed. species, which has also been recorded from the Bazaruto Incidental records were compiled by EWP, who was resident in National Park (Broadley 1992). the VCWS from October 2002 - April 2003, as well as by DWP, who visited the VCWS opportunistically from October 2002 Squamata - April 2003. Additional incidental observations were made by reserve staff including Dave Smart (DS), Jenny Newenham (JN) Serpentes and Ryan Pietersen. Leptotyphlopidae Holes that were dug for the construction of the boundary fences acted as effective pit-fall traps, and were opportunistically che- Leptotyphlopidae incognitus Broadley & Watson 1976 cked. French drains that were constructed at the housing com- Individuals were captured at Msasa camp as well plexes also served as efficient pit-fall traps prior to them being as around the management houses. One of the Msasa covered, and these were routinely examined during the summer individuals was found sheltering under the bark of months. The clearing of vegetation and digging of foundations during construction also yielded some interesting fossorial reptile an Msasa Brachystegia spiciformis ca 1.5m above species. the ground. This species has also been recorded from Specimens that were collected have been deposited in the Nor- Benguera Island (Broadley 1992). thern Flagship Institute (Transvaal Museum), Pretoria, South Africa and acquisition numbers incorporated in the following Pythonidae account. Python natalensis A. Smith 1840 Systematic Account A large snake which has been recorded from the northern part of the reserve. It appears to inhabit areas Chelonia around pans, with spoor being seen of snakes entering Testudinidae and emerging from the water. Individuals were also seen in Msasa camp and at the workshop (TM85490). Kinixys belliana belliana Gray 1831 Has also been recorded from the Bazaruto Archipelago A woodland and coastal forest species which has (Broadley 1990).
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