See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313888019 KwaZulu-Natal State of Biodiversity Report 2013 Technical Report · May 2015 CITATIONS READS 0 477 1 author: Ian Rushworth Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife - Scientific Services 34 PUBLICATIONS 328 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL RISKS OF THE PRACTICE OF INTENSIVE AND SELECTIVE BREEDING OF GAME TO BIODIVERSITY AND THE BIODIVERSITY ECONOMY View project All content following this page was uploaded by Ian Rushworth on 19 December 2017. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Contents CHAPTER PAGE Executive Summary 6-7 Introduction 9 State Indicators 13 1. Landscape-level Assessments 13 1.1. Extent of Natural Habitat 13 2. Ecosystem - Level Assessments 15 2.1. Terrestrial Ecosystems 15 2.2. Freshwater Wetland Integrity 15 3. Species Assessments 18 3.1. Plants 18 3.2. Butterflies and Moths 20 3.3. Fish 23 3.4. Frogs 24 3.5. Reptiles 25 3.6. Birds 27 3.7. Mammals 30 4. Genetic Assessments 33 4.1. Genetic Indicators 33 Response Indicators 35 5.1. Terrestrial Area Protected 35 5.2. Protection Levels of Terrestrial Ecosystems 37 5.3. Marine Areas Under Protection, and Protection Levels of Marine Ecosystems 38 5.4. Management Effectiveness of Terrestrial Protected Areas 40 Summary 43 Recommendations 45 Appendices 47 5 Executive Summary The state of KwaZulu-Natal’s biodiversity as at the end of 2013 is evaluated in this assessment at landscape, ecosystem, species and genetic levels using a framework of comparing the current state of selected bio- diversity features to the desired state (the target), as well as comparing the trend of the biodiversity feature against the desired trend. It also evaluates the status and eff ectiveness of key response measures, such as the establishment of protected areas, being undertaken to safeguard biodiversity. This report is designed to provide the minimum set of summarised information that will allow decision makers and the concerned public to assess the state of the province’s biodiversity, and, by implication, the success of the province in achieving its constitutional mandate to safeguard the environment for current and future generations. State of Biodiversity reporting is an essential part indicators were identifi ed for analysis and reporting. of the adaptive management process adopted Of these, there were suffi cient data and resources by organisations responsible for environmental available to evaluate 57 indicator categories for management. Biodiversity objectives and targets status and 50 for trend. Eight management response are adopted, and then resources allocated to indicators could be identifi ed in terms of their status achieving these targets through, inter alia, mitigating and eight for trend. Of these all eight of the response threats, restoring habitats and implementing species indicators and six trend indicators were assessed. recovery plans. The outcomes of those management The targets for most biodiversity status indicators interventions are then assessed by monitoring are not achieved (61.4%% of targets not achieved). the status and trend of biodiversity features. This In terms of trend, most are stable or, if increasing, not provides guidance as to the eff ectiveness of the increasing at the required rate to meet targets; 27.4% interventions and, importantly, allows for approaches of indicators are showing an improving trend but a to be modifi ed where the desired targets are not worrying 72.6% are showing a stable or declining being achieved. For State of Biodiversity reporting trend. Overall, target achievement and population to be eff ective it is essential that the full adaptive trends are indicating that biodiversity in KZN is under management cycle is completed with the results pressure despite conservation interventions. being used to adapt and learn. Perhaps more worrying is the apparent failure of the A suite of indicators at diff erent levels of the provincial response to biodiversity threats, with 75% biodiversity hierarchy are reported on, but how of response indicator targets not achieved, and the representative are the indicators of the overall trends being stable or, if positive, being too slow to status of biodiversity in KwaZulu-Natal? The status meet targets and timeframes. Resource limitations of all vegetation types (ecosystems) is assessed and failure of cooperative governance in managing across the whole province; however, only a very buff er zones, primarily, are resulting in a decline small proportion of the species that occur in KZN in management eff ectiveness of protected areas are monitored, assessed and reported on. The managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. coverage is also biased towards larger vertebrates and species that are already threatened in some The most important messages emerging from way; smaller vertebrates (fi sh, amphibians, reptiles) this assessment are: and, in particular, invertebrates are not adequately • The indicators for the majority of biodiversity assessed. Many species that are considered features assessed were below the desired target common today will be threatened in the future if levels i.e. targets not achieved. Only 22 out of 57 current trends continue; monitoring a sample of (38.6%) targets are achieved. these currently non-threatened species would be a • The trend of the majority of biodiversity features good indicator of general environmental health. The assessed indicated that they were declining, absence of currently more common species, the or had declined in the not too distant past. limited numbers and taxonomic spread of species, Fourteen out of 51 (27.4%) indicators showed a and the absence of genetic indicators are limitations positive trend in accordance with targets, while of this report and of biodiversity monitoring in the remaining 72.6% of indicators were stable, general. declining or not increasing at the necessary rate. This State of Biodiversity Report for KwaZulu- • The trend in the status of large mammals of Natal (KZN) focuses only on biodiversity state and conservation importance is, on the whole, response indicators. Under this framework, 65 improving. There are however worrying increases biodiversity status and 70 biodiversity trend state in poaching of several large vertebrates, especially 6 black and white rhino where poaching thresholds leopard and oribi. are being exceeded. • It is essential that spatial planning, delivery • The sea turtle conservation programme appears programmes and decision making of all spheres to be bearing fruits, with one species stable after of government integrate better and incorporate earlier declines, and the other species increasing the requirements of biodiversity and ecosystem rapidly. services, possibly managed through a series of • The Province is not meeting its targets with implementation protocols. The Constitution of respect to land area protected, or the protection South Africa and the resulting Intergovernmental levels of terrestrial ecosystems. Further, the rate Relations Framework Act require organs of of addition of protected areas is below the required state to communicate, collaborate and support rate to meet national and international obligations. each other’s mandates. The ongoing decline in The contribution of the State to protected area biodiversity in the province is largely a result of the expansion has been declining since 1970, and failure to achieve suffi cient levels of coordination recent increases in the protected area estate are and collaboration between organs of state with almost entirely through the commitment of private diff erent mandates. and communal landowners facilitated through • The province has not achieved national protected the KZN Biodiversity Stewardship programme. area targets. It is essential that the province Options for future expansion are rapidly becoming allocate additional resources to secure additional more limited and more expensive. land through acquisition and subsequent • The marine environment along the KZN coast is management of additional protected areas, as signifi cantly under protected (0.4% protected). well as providing additional support to the KZN No additional marine protected areas have been Biodiversity Stewardship Programme (BSP). established since 2004. The KZN BSP has reached capacity to take • Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is meeting its targets on additional sites despite many additional with respect to national standards for terrestrial landowners expressing a willingness to commit protected area management eff ectiveness, but their land for the benefi t of the state. An important resource constraints and human activities in constraint is the large number of vacant District the landscape outside of the protected areas Conservation Offi cer and ecologist posts within are threatening the ongoing achievement of this Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife: these staff are required to target. provide management advice (a key incentive) and ensure that stewardship sites are being properly While there have been some notable successes, managed. safeguarding the province’s unique biodiversity is • There are indications that resource constraints going to require signifi cant additional government are aff ecting the ability of the province to commitment, particularly in the allocation of achieve the national protected area management resources and in striving to fi nd a balance between eff