APPENDIX D: HERPETOFAUNA REPORT Biodiversity Report: DRD (Klipspruit) canal September 2013 12 of 12 pages Biodiversity & Aquatic Specialists 638 Turf Street Wingate Park, 0181 Tel: 012-345 4891 Fax: 086 675 6136 Email: [email protected] Herpetofauna Habitat Assessment of PORTION 731 OF THE FARM DRIEFONTEIN 87 IR (ELSBURGSPRUIT CANAL) October 2013 Report author: Mr. J.C.P van Wyk (Pri.Sci.Nat: M.Sc) Herpetofauna Report: Elsburgspruit canal October 2013 1 of 17 pages TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................... 4 2. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE HABITAT STUDY ............................ 4 3. STUDY AREA ............................................................................................. 4 4. METHOD .................................................................................................... 5 5. RESULTS ................................................................................................... 6 6. FINDINGS AND POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS ......................................... 13 7. LIMITATIONS, ASSUMPTIONS AND GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE ............... 14 8. RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES .......................................... 14 9. CONCLUSION .......................................................................................... 15 10. LITERATURE SOURCES ......................................................................... 16 FIGURES: FIGURE 1: LOCALITY MAP OF THE STUDY SITE. ........................................................... 5 FIGURE 2: LARGE SOIL HEAPS AND INVASIVE PLANTS ON THE STUDY SITE. .................... 7 FIGURE 3: ILLEGAL MINING IN THE ELSBURGSPRUIT .................................................... 7 FIGURE 4: MAN-MADE RUPICULOUS HABITAT ON THE STUDY SITE. ................................ 8 FIGURE 5: THE ELSBURGSPRUIT RUNNING THROUGH THE DISTURBED ENVIRONMENT OF THE STUDY SITE. ................................................................................................ 8 FIGURE 6: A TEMPORARY WETLAND NEXT TO THE ELSBURGSPRUIT .............................. 9 FIGURE 7: HERPETOFAUNAL HABITAT MAP ............................................................... 10 FIGURE 8: HERPETOFAUNAL SENSITIVITY MAP. ........................................................ 16 TABLES: TABLE 1: THE REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN SPECIES OBSERVED ON OR DEDUCED TO OCCUPY THE SITE. ........................................................................................... 11 Herpetofauna Report: Elsburgspruit canal October 2013 2 of 17 pages Declaration of Independence: I, Jacobus Casparus Petrus van Wyk (68080450410845) declare that I: hold a MSc in the biological sciences, which allowed registration by SACNASP (SA Council for National Scientific Professions) as a Professional Zoologist and sanction me to function independently as a specialist scientific consultant declare that as per prerequisites of the Natural Scientific Professions Act No. 27 of 2003 this project was my work from inception and reflects exclusively my observations and unbiased scientific interpretations, and executed to the best of my ability abide by the Code of Ethics of the SACNASP am committed to biodiversity conservation but concomitantly recognize the need for economic development. Whereas I appreciate the opportunity to also learn through the processes of constructive criticism and debate, I reserve the right to form and hold my own opinions and therefore will not willingly submit to the interests of other parties or change my statements to appease them abide by the Code of Ethics of the S.A. Council for Natural Scientific Professions act as an independent specialist consultant in the field of zoology am subcontracted as specialist consultant by Galago Environmental CC for the project “Herpetofauna Habitat Assessment on Portion 731 of the Farm Driefontein 87 IR ” described in this report have no financial interest in the proposed development other than remuneration for work performed have or will not have any vested or conflicting interests in the proposed development undertake to disclose to the Galago Environmental CC and its client as well as the competent authority any material information that have or may have the potential to influence the decision of the competent authority required in terms of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2006 Our intellectual property in this report will only be transferred to the client (the party/ company that commissioned the work) on full payment of the contract fee. Upon transfer of the intellectual property, we recognise that written consent of the client will be required for release of any part of this report to third parties. J.C.P. van Wyk Herpetofauna Report: Elsburgspruit canal October 2013 3 of 17 pages 1. INTRODUCTION Galago Environmental CC was appointed to undertake a Herpetofaunal (reptile and amphibian) habitat survey on a Portion 731 of the Farm Driefontein 87 IR (elsewhere referred to as the study site), scheduled for the development of a storm water canal. The objective was to determine which herpetofaunal species might still reside on the site. Special attention had to be given to the habitat requirements of all the Red Data species, which may occur in the area. This survey focuses on the current status of threatened herpetofaunal species occurring, or which are likely to occur on the proposed development site, and a description of the available and sensitive habitats on the site. This assignment is in accordance with the 2010 EIA Regulations (No. R. 543-546, Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, 18 June 2010) emanating from Chapter 5 of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998). 2. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE HABITAT STUDY To qualitatively and quantitatively assess the significance of the herpetofaunal habitat components and current general conservation status of the property; Identify and comment on ecological sensitive areas; Comments on connectivity with natural vegetation and habitats on adjacent sites; To provide a list of herpetofauna which occur or might occur, and to identify species of conservation importance; To highlight potential impacts of the proposed development on the herpetofauna of the study site, and To provide management recommendations to mitigate negative and enhance positive impacts should the proposed development be approved. 3. STUDY AREA This study site lies in the quarter degree grid cell 2628AA (Johannesburg). The study site lies north of the R29 (Main Reef Road) and west of the M39 Road. The entire area is 36.611 hectares in extent and 598.8 metres long. The Elsburgspruit flows through the centre of the study site. The study site is bordered by tarred roads, residential developments, mining and industrial activities. Large opencast mining occurs west of the study site. To the north-west, north and north-east of the study site lies Primrose, Marlands and Witfield residential areas respectively. A slimes dam lies just east of the study site. South-west of the site lays the Witwatersrand Gold Mine. Connectivity is poor except to the north-east of the site where the Witfield Dam is situated. A wetland and the Elsburg Dam lie further south along the Elsburgspruit. The study site is largely ecologically disturbed. The entire study site has been environmentally damaged over a long period of time by diggings, encroaching urbanisation, veld fires, invasive plants, dumping of soil heaps, dumping of building rubble, steep man-made stream banks, water pollution, noise pollution, squatters, illegal mining and neglect. The study site lies inside the Soweto Highveld Grassland (Gm 8) vegetation type (Mucina & Rutherford, 2006). Herpetofauna Report: Elsburgspruit canal October 2013 4 of 17 pages Figure 1: Locality map of the study site. 4. METHOD A site visit was conducted on 24 August 2013. During this visit the observed and derived presence of reptiles and amphibians associated with the recognised habitat types of the study site were recorded. This was done with due regard to the well- recorded global distributions of Southern African herpetofauna, coupled with the qualitative and quantitative nature of recognised habitats. The 500 metres of adjoining properties were scanned for important fauna habitats. 4.1 Field Surveys During the site visits, reptiles and amphibians were identified by visual sightings through random transect walks. Amphibian diversity was also established by means of acoustic identification. No trapping was conducted, as the terms of reference did not require such intensive work. 4.2 Desktop Surveys As the majority of reptiles and amphibians are secretive, nocturnal and/or poikilothermic or seasonal, distributional ranges and the presence of suitable habitats were used to deduce the presence or absence of these species based on authoritative tomes, scientific literature, field guides, atlases and databases. This can be done irrespective of season. Herpetofauna Report: Elsburgspruit canal October 2013 5 of 17 pages The probability of the occurrence of reptile and amphibian species was based on their respective geographical distributional ranges and the suitability of on-site habitats. In other words, high probability would be applicable to a species with a distributional range overlying the study site as well as the presence of prime habitat occurring on the study site. Another consideration for inclusion in this category is the inclination of a species to be common to the area, i.e. normally occurring at high