IUCN SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group

2018 Report

Galen Rathbun Andrew Taylor

Co-Chairs Mission statement of golden moles in species where it is neces- Galen Rathbun (1) The IUCN SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group (ASG) sary (e.g., Amblysomus and Neamblysomus Andrew Taylor (2) facilitates the conservation of hyraxes, aard- species); (3) collect basic data for 3-4 golden varks, elephant-shrews or sengis, golden moles, mole species, including geographic distributions Red List Authority Coordinator tenrecs and their habitats by: (1) providing and natural history data; (4) conduct surveys to determine distribution and abundance of Matthew Child (3) sound scientific advice and guidance to conser- vationists, governments, and other inter- five hyrax species; (5) revise taxonomy of five hyrax species; (6) develop and assess field trials Location/Affiliation ested groups; (2) raising public awareness; for standardised camera trapping methods (1) California Academy of Sciences, and (3) developing research and conservation to determine population estimates for giant California, US programmes. sengis; (7) conduct surveys to assess distribu- (2) The Endangered Wildlife Trust, tion, abundance, threats and taxonomic status Modderfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa Projected impact for the 2017-2020 of the Data Deficient sengi species; (8) build on (3) South African National Biodiversity Institute quadrennium current research to determine the systematics (SANBI), Kirstenbosch National Botanical If the ASG achieved all of its targets, it would be of giant sengis, especially Rhynchocyon Garden, Newlands Cape Town, South Africa able to deliver more accurate, data-driven Red species; (9) survey Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) List assessments for more Afrotherian species populations to determine abundance, distribu- Number of members and, therefore, be in a better position to move tion and trends; (10) conduct taxonomic studies 34 to conservation planning, especially for priority to determine the systematics of aardvarks, with species. a focus on contrasting aardvarks from central Social networks African forests with southern African savanna Twitter: Targets for the 2017-2020 quadrennium aardvarks; (11) integrate the monitoring of @Tweeting_Tenrec Assess tenrecs in the management of key protected Website: Red List: reassess Red List categories in species areas with threatened species in order to track https://afrotheria.net/ for which new information arises (e.g. Nimba their status and threats and identify key conser- Otter Shrew, Micropotamogale lamottei, for vation concerns; (12) conduct genetic studies which we have new extent of occurrence (EOO) to clarify the taxonomy and species diversity data) or for newly described species that may within the genus Microgale. be described during the quadrennium (such as Communicate golden moles or sengis). Communication: (1) update and maintain the Research activities: (1) develop five stan- Afrotheria.net website; (2) produce one Afroth- dardised monitoring protocols for each group eria Specialist Group newsletter every year. of Afrotherians to track trends over time and produce more data for Red List assessments; (2) complete 2-4 reassessments of taxonomy Etendeka Round-eared Sengi (Macroscelides micus), Least Concern Photo: G.B. Rathbun

Activities and results 2018 iii. The project to conduct surveys to deter- Communicate mine distribution and abundance of five hyrax Assess Communication species is awaiting funding. The hyrax section Red List i. Updating and maintenance of the Afroth- coordinator is preparing a proposal submission eria.net website is ongoing. Galen Rathbun, our i. We reassessed the status of one species to the National Geographic Society. (KSR #12) Co-Chair, always paid for the maintenance of during 2018, the Nimba Otter Shrew. (KSR #1) iv. Revision of taxonomy of five hyrax species is the website. Galen died in April 2019, so we will Research activities under way, with two Specialist Group members have to make arrangements to maintain the i. To complete reassessments of taxonomy of (Hendrik Hoeck and Lukas Keller) taking the website. (KSR #28) golden moles, we need more detailed informa- lead. (KSR #43) ii. Our annual newsletter was successfully tion on species’ distributions and phylogenetic v. Determination of the systematics of aard- completed in September 2018, and we are status, and we have not yet secured funding varks is ongoing, but the project has been currently looking for submissions for the 2019 for the associated fieldwork. However, Dr delayed due to an unexpected change in edition. (KSR #28) Samantha Mynhardt (via her post-doctoral host, personnel. So far, genetic material has been Professor Paulette Bloomer) has applied for the collected from aardvarks in European Collec- Acknowledgements necessary funding to the Mohammed Bin Zayed tions (old material, no FRESH material as it is We thank our Afrotheria Specialist Group Foundation and the Foundational Information very difficult with the new Nagoya protocol) and members, all of whom are volunteers, who Biodiversity Programme (managed by the NRF its quality has been checked. The material will contributed towards the successful updating and SANBI). The outcome of such applications then be used to gain the genome of “forest” and of the Red Lists and the annual newsletter. In is pending; if successful, fieldwork to collect “savanna” aardvarks and compare their genetic particular, we are grateful to our section coor- additional necessary data will take place later distance, and hence their degree of relation- dinators, Gary Bronner, Lee Koren, Thomas this year. (KSR #43) ships. Some funding is available for prelimi- Lehmann, Voahangy Soarimalala, Link Olson ii. The Foundational Biodiversity Information nary analysis, but if differences are detected and PJ Stephenson, as well as our newsletter Programme (FBIP) project submitted for funding between forest and savanna aardvarks, much editors Chris and Mathilde Stuart. We also thank aims to also collect new data on the Giant more detailed and expensive sequencing will be Avian Designs for supporting our website at Golden Mole (Chrysospalax trevelyani) and required, and this will require a new source of discounted rates. Finally, we remember our cryptic Amblysomus lineages (possibly distinct funding. (KSR #43) group founder and long-time co-chair Galen species) in the Eastern Cape. Furthermore, we vi. Genetic studies to clarify the taxonomy and Rathbun, who died in April 2019. are working with the Endangered Wildlife Trust species diversity within the genus Microgale (Cobus Theron) to try to secure funding for trial- are ongoing, with a manuscript in review and Summary of activities 2018 ling the use of sniffer dogs and drones to collect several more in various stages of preparation. more specimens and natural history information Many newly circumscribed species will be Species Conservation Cycle ratio: 2/5 for the two threatened Cryptochloris species in published over the next few years. (KSR #43) Assess 7 ||||||| Namaqualand. However, funding has proven to Communicate 2 || be elusive. (KSR #12) Main KSRs addressed: 1, 12, 28, 43 KSR: Key Species Result