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In Memorium: Gus Mills leaves an indelible mark on carnivore conservation

In Memorium: Gus Mills leaves an indelible mark on carnivore conservation

In Memorium

Gus Mills leaves an indelible mark on carnivore conservation

By Eleanor Momberg

 

Dr Gus Mills conducting carnivore research in the Kalahari.

In July 2026, the Endangered Wildlife Trust joined conservationists and researchers worldwide in mourning the death of Dr Gus Mills, a renowned Brown Hyaena, Cheetah and African Wild Dog specialist, and author.

Gus left an indelible mark on carnivore conservation in South Africa, and through a variety of international bodies on which he shared his expertise about nature’s apex predators, including canids and big cats.  This included serving as a senior member of the IUCN Carnivore Specialist Groups. He was a former chair of the Hyaena Specialist Group and member of the steering committees of the Cat Specialist Group and the Canid Specialist Group.  Gus was the founder of the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Carnivore Conservation Group.

Gus’s first introduction to the EWT was when he undertook research in the Kalahari into Brown Hyaena in 1973, the year the EWT was established by South African conservationist and artist, Clive Walker, James Clarke and Neville Anderson. A year later, the EWT funded some equipment for the project run by the then MSc student at the University of Pretoria. This was the EWT’s third sponsorship.

Describing Gus as a “wonderful human being”, Clive Walker, founder of the EWT, said: “He was second researcher the EWT invested in back in the 1970’s and one of the finest who devoted his life to conservation”.

Gus continued his research about Brown Hyaenas and Spotted Hyaenas for 15 years, publishing Kalahari Hyenas: the comparative behavioural ecology of two species in 1990.

In 1996, he was asked by the then Director of the EWT, Dr John Ledger, to form the EWT’s Carnivore Conservation Group. This was achieved through a partnership with SANParks which allowed him to work full-time on carnivores while establishing and running the EWT’s Carnivore Conservation Group and working for SANParks. Funding for this unique arrangement was provided by the Lewis Foundation.

The EWT’s Carnivore Conservation Unit is today recognised as a leader in lion population research, the metapopulation management of Cheetah and African Wild Dog throughout southern Africa, and addressing threats to carnivores through human-wildlife conflict and the illegal wildlife trade.

During his time at SANParks, Gus researched Cheetah, African Wild Dog, Honey Badgers, Brown Hyena, and lions. He introduced the concept of metapopulation management of wild dogs and with the assistance of the late Pat Fletcher, pulled together numerous agencies and landowners to achieve genetic management of scattered populations through the Wild Dog Advisory Group.

Derek van der Merwe, manager of the EWT’s Carnivore Conservation Unit, said: “It is remarkable to reflect on how much has changed since those early days, when Gus would fly over the Kruger National Park in a small EWT aircraft equipped with telemetry equipment, tracking African wild dogs from the air. Those pioneering efforts helped establish many of the approaches that underpin carnivore conservation today”.

Cole du Plessis, project manager in the Carnivore Conservation Unit said: “Long before GPS collars and big datasets, there were people like Gus patiently building our understanding of Africa’s carnivores, one observation at a time.  He was also ahead of his time. He encouraged visitors to Kruger National Park to photograph wild dogs and cheetahs because every individual has a unique coat pattern. Those photographs became one of South Africa’s earliest citizen science programmes, and remarkably, that project still contributes to carnivore conservation today”.

Cole believes what made Gus so remarkable was that he fundamentally changed the way we understand Africa’s carnivores. “He wasn’t simply observing animals – he was curious. He spent decades asking and answering the questions that have shaped how we understand Africa’s carnivores today”.

“His work on lions, cheetahs, hyaenas and African wild dogs laid much of the scientific foundation that modern carnivore conservation is built upon. But perhaps just as importantly, Gus had an incredible ability to connect science with the natural world. He showed that good science and a deep appreciation for nature could go hand in hand.”  said Cole who believes his greatest impact was how Gus did his science.

 “I actually think that may be his greatest legacy. Scientific papers are incredibly important, but they only go so far. Gus invested in people. He mentored students, encouraged young researchers, and inspired countless conservationists through his generosity, humility and willingness to share his knowledge. If you look across Africa today, many of the people leading carnivore conservation were either directly mentored by Gus or influenced by his research. His legacy isn’t just in the knowledge he created—it’s in the people who continue that work every single day”  said Cole.

Gus retired from SANParks in 2006 after 40 years of service.  Based in the Kalahari, with his wife, Margie, Gus then embarked on a study of Cheetah that saw the publication of A Natural History Guide to the Arid Kalahari in 2014,  four years after the release of what remains one of his most memorable books Hyena Nights and Kalahari Days.  This book continues to raise awareness about this often misunderstood species.

“Gus was an excellent public speaker and presenter. His talks to EWT members at the Johannesburg Country Club were always ‘full-house’ occasions. His charming personality drew people towards him and his passion for carnivore conservation was admired by many EWT supporters. Some of the latter, like Stuart Bromfield and Norman Stein became generous donors to EWT carnivore projects,”  said John Ledger.

Derek described Gus as a quiet, yet immensely influential presence in conservation.

“There are few people whose authenticity, humility, and dedication matched his. His writings, particularly Cry of the Kalahari, captured not only the science of conservation, but also the wonder and privilege of sharing the landscape with Africa’s wildlife. His contributions to the conservation of lions, Cheetahs, African Wild Dogs, and hyaenas extended far beyond the EWT, influencing generations of researchers and practitioners around the world,” he said.

“For those of us who now have the privilege of carrying this work forward, we do so standing on the shoulders of pioneers like Gus. His legacy lives on not only through his extraordinary scientific contributions, but through the countless people he inspired and the conservation programmes he helped set in motion,”  said Derek.

Yolan Friedmann, CEO of the EWT, described the immense influence Gus had on her career.

“I had the privilege of getting into the field with Gus as an early-stage career conservationist, and to watch with wonder how he tracked Wild Dogs; I remember with fondness bumping around in the back of bakkies as we tore after these extraordinary carnivores in pursuit of their pray. Gus instilled in me a love for Wild Dogs and I worked with Gus to develop the first project to develop a sustainable Wild Dog population outside of the Kruger National Park through range expansion into KwaZulu-Natal, in the early 2000s. I loved our debates about the philosophical lines between animal welfare and conservation and the role of the individual versus the population. Gus taught me so much and made a lasting impression on my conservation career. His legend will live on in the lives he touched wherever he went,” she said.

Gus will be remembered as was a dedicated conservationist who believed that the youth and local communities had an important role to play in the future of all species. His mark on conservation will always be remembered. His wife Margie worked alongside Gus in the field in the Kalahari, enduring hardships in remote areas and contributing to their joint books in a remarkable partnership that endured for more than half a century. We share the grief of losing of this special man with Margie, their biologist son Michael, daughter Debbie and the grandchildren.

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Tuks Students reuse invasive alien species

Tuks Students reuse invasive alien species

In the Field:

Tuks Students reuse invasive alien species

 

University of Pretoria students preparing invasive alien tree wood for a sensory garden.

A group of four University of Pretoria students recently visited the EWT’s Conservation Campus in Midrand to collect and process pieces of wood from invasive alien species that had been removed during rehabilitation of the natural environment on the property.  The students – Declan McCullough, Sienna Govind, Palesa Mokoena and Lèhan de Villiers, cleaned pieces of tree of their remaining bark.  These pieces of wood are to be used to create steps to the sensory garden at the University’s Mamelodi Campus in Pretoria. This garden was opened in 2023 and includes features, surfaces, objects and plants to stimulate the senses through touch, scent, taste, hearing and sight.  The aim of these gardens is improve the health, mood and cognition of visitors.

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The EWT Embraces Mandela Day 2026

The EWT Embraces Mandela Day 2026

In the Field:

The EWT Embraces Mandela Day 2026

 

Volunteers collecting rubbish along the Olifants River estuary in Papendorp.

To honour the memory of Nelson Mandela, members of the Endangered Wildlife Trust pack across South Africa took part in local events, joining hands with stakeholders and communities to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

Mandela Day is a call to action for all to reflect on Mandela’s values and principles, and to take meaningful steps to make a positive impact in their own communities.  It is a day in which all are called to dedicate 67 minutes of service to their communities.  

In the Western Cape, members of the Drylands Strategic Conservation Landscape team joined NGO’s and partners to collect rubbish that had washed down the Olifants River, into the estuary and river mouth in the community of Papendorp (Western Cape). During the recent floods, the estuary received tons of rubbish which the community is slowly trying to remove. This activity marked the end of a 2-day forum aimed at all partners and initiatives operational in the Arid Landscape to promote better understanding of work done and ensuring long-term collaboration in the space. A total of 15 Partners participated in the Forum, and allowed some welcome field time!

Mandela Day volunteers restoring habitat at Johannesburg Zoo.

In Johannesburg, a team from the EWT’s Conservation Campus in Midrand joined Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo to roll up their sleeves to remove variety of invasive alien species at the Zoo. Oscar Mohale, the head of the EWT’s Wildlife and Infrastructure Unit, provided those present with information about invasive alien species in South Africa and how these can, and should, be removed. The EWT team joined students from the Sefako Makgatho University and the Vaal University of Technology, as well as children from a number of schools in Gauteng.  The presence of the youth added to the energy of a 67-minute initiative to work together to protect biodiversity and create a healthy habitat for the animals and indigenous plants at the Zoo.   Among the alien species removed we Bugweed, Lantana, Woolly nightshade. Alianthus altissima (tree-of-heaven), Araujia sericifera (cruel vines), and Cat’s Claw.

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Release of two rehabilitated Vultures at Mokala National Park

Release of two rehabilitated Vultures at Mokala National Park

In the Field:

Release of two rehabilitated Vultures at Mokala National Park

By Ronelle Visagie, Field Officer in the Birds of Prey Unit

 

Two rehabilitated White-backed Vultures being released into the wild at Mokala National Park.

At the end of March 2026 a White-backed Vulture landed at a home in in Keidebees, Upington.  The owner of the house, Mike Knoetze, cared for the bird for a couple of days and fed it delicious steak while searching for someone to collect the bird. I was contacted about the bird and drove to Upington to fetch it.

On 22 April Danielle du Toit, Field Officer for the Birds of Prey Unit, was contacted in Graaff-Reinet about a White-backed Vulture that was sitting on the roof of a local church. When it landed on the ground Danielle was there to capture it. She took it to the veterinarian for a check-up and got permission from the local Nature Conservation authorities to transport it to the border of the Northern Cape where I could pick it up.

Both these young vultures were very hungry and had probably got lost from adult birds that could find food for them. When the juvenile vultures cannot find food, they quite often go to people or land at farmyards. If people feed them, they will follow them around and appear to be tame. But, when the juvenile vultures are properly fed and have gained enough weight, their natural wild instinct returns.

After two months of feeding the young vultures as much food as they could eat, they were ready to return to the open skies where they belong. They had become very restless in the aviary and wanted to get out.   Before their release back into the wild, both were ringed and fitted with wing tags for identification purposes and so that their flight paths can be monitored.

In early June I drove went to Mokala National Park near Kimberley and released both the vultures at the breeding colony where they could find adult birds to guide them.  

Note:  If people see tagged vultures, they can report them to Safring or on the email address resightings@ewt.org

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Saluting rangers protecting wildlife and conserving nature

Saluting rangers protecting wildlife and conserving nature

Saluting rangers protecting wildlife and conserving nature

By Eleanor Momberg

 

EWT rangers patrolling protected landscapes to safeguard South Africa's threatened wildlife.

As nature’s guardians, most rangers are not only the first line of defence against wildlife crime, but also protectors of a fragile and changing environment.

Working at the forefront of conservation of species and habitats, these passionate individuals often give up valuable personal time to ensure wildlife is protected from criminals, be they poachers or illegal harvesters of threatened plant species.  They also spend critical hours removing invasive alien species, burning firebreaks to safeguard infrastructure, assisting with management burns to achieve specific ecological goals, and guiding guests to ensure an absolutely unforgettable visit to nature, among a multitude of other tasks.

On 31 July, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) joined rangers across the globe to mark World Ranger Day; a day on which rangers worldwide remember honour colleagues who have lost their lives in the line of duty.  This year’s theme A Legacy of Protection, Courage, and Service recognised that rangers are working in a world defined by climate extremes and biodiversity loss, increasing human-wildlife conflict, organised wildlife crime, and shifting social and political landscapes.  Amid these challenges, rangers continue to safeguard the future of our natural world. On the 20th anniversary of World Ranger Day, the EWT honoured its newly-appointed Threat Protection Rangers and Restoration Rangers, alongside the team of rangers at the Medike Nature Reserve.

While one team of rangers is focused on addressing, and preventing, wildlife crime, their colleagues are focused on improving the habitats in which people, plants and animals, live and prosper.

EWT rangers patrolling protected landscapes to safeguard South Africa's threatened wildlife.

Threat Reduction Rangers

Illegal wildlife-related activities are placing mounting pressure on already vulnerable wildlife populations while simultaneously posing significant security risks to people living and working within affected landscapes.

To mitigate wildlife crime within the Greater Kruger area of Limpopo, the Endangered Wildlife Trust has appointed five Threat Reduction Rangers to reduce illegal wildlife activities.  This includes snaring in the Greater Kruger area in northern Limpopo – a buffer zone to the west of the Kruger National Park, and Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area.

The team, comprising a head ranger and four rangers, undertake regular patrols, remove snares, record illegal activity, monitor high-risk areas using camera traps and share information with landowners and conservation partners so that threats can be timeously detection and addressed immediately.

Thus Unit helps protect both wildlife and people. By removing snares and reducing illegal activities, endangered animals are saved, healthier ecosystems are supported, and wildlife crime is prevented from spreading into protected areas. At the same time, it improves safety for landowners and local communities through better monitoring, coordination, and a stronger presence on the ground.

In the Greater Kruger area, snaring for bushmeat represents one of the most pervasive and persistent threats. This indiscriminate and illegal hunting method has intensified in recent years, reaching unsustainable levels across southern Africa.

To address this, the EWT’s Threat Reduction Unit now delivers a coordinated, intelligence-driven response across property boundaries in an effort to halt the escalation of snaring, safeguard threatened wildlife populations, ensure human safety and reinforce the integrity of the Greater Kruger conservation system.

The project being undertaken in potentially high-risk areas prioritises community and privately-owned land where enforcement capacity is limited, and thus vulnerable to illegal wildlife activities.  The present focus is encourage these  landowners and communities to participate in the initiative.

To achieve our conservation goals, we have partnered with the Kevin Richardson Foundation. Soldiers for Wildlife and Van Niekerk Wildlife have provided ranger traising, with additional support being received from the Scales Conservation Fund, Phalaborwa Natural Heritage Foundation and Kendra Carano.

Restoration Rangers working to restore natural habitats and protect biodiversity.

Restoration Rangers

In the heart of the Soutpansberg is a team of Restoration Rangers protecting the landscape and restoring it back to health, one tree at a time.

The EWT’s Restoration Rangers are working to reverse decades of environmental degradation caused by invasive alien plants. Their daily work often includes hiking on steep, inaccessible, remote mountain slopes carrying all their equipment and safety gear up to 8 kg per person.  The specialised team focuses on removing invasive trees and plants that threaten one of South Africa’s most biologically diverse landscapes.

The Soutpansberg is recognised as one of the country’s unexplored biodiversity hotspots, supporting an extraordinary diversity of plants and animals, many of which occur nowhere else on Earth. However, invasive alien plants, particularly water-thirsty eucalyptus trees that take up to 260 litres per day, reduce streamflow, outcompete indigenous vegetation, increase wildfire intensity, and degrade vital habitats.

The Restoration Rangers are helping to change this trajectory. Through strategic invasive plant control, follow-up clearing, wetland restoration, road and trail maintenance, and ongoing monitoring, they are restoring ecological processes that allow indigenous ecosystems to recover naturally. Their work contributes to healthier catchments, improved water security, greater resilience to climate change, and stronger habitat connectivity for wildlife.

This team consists of young people from neighbouring communities who receive practical ecological restoration training while gaining valuable work experience and developing skills that contribute to South Africa’s growing restoration economy.

Over the past year alone, the team has removed thousands of invasive plants across priority conservation areas, restored ecologically sensitive wetlands, maintained critical access routes for landowners and conservation partners, and supported collaborative restoration efforts across the Western Soutpansberg Nature Reserve. Every invasive tree removed represents more water remaining in the landscape, improved habitat for indigenous species, and another step towards restoring ecosystem health.

As the impacts of climate change intensify, ecological restoration has become one of the most effective nature-based solutions available. Investing in restoration rangers means investing in water security, biodiversity conservation, disaster resilience and sustainable rural livelihoods.

Endangered Wildlife Trust rangers working together to conserve wildlife and restore ecosystems.

Medike Rangers

 At the EWT’s Medike Reserve in the Soutpansberg,  three rangers and four conservation interns are engaged in work that rangers from de=snaring and anti-poaching patrols, to monitoring, invasive alien species removal, road and accommodation development and maintenance, guest hospitality and guiding.

While many rangers are recognised for protecting wildlife on the frontlines against poaching, this group of conservation champions is quietly restoring ecosystems that sustain both biodiversity and people.

Rangers are the custodians of our natural heritage. Whether protecting endangered wildlife or restoring degraded ecosystems, their work is essential to safeguarding South Africa’s biodiversity and supporting the communities that depend on healthy landscapes.

This World Ranger Day, the EWT celebrates not only the bravery of rangers protecting wildlife but also the determination of those restoring ecosystems from the ground up. Their work reminds us that conservation is about more than protecting what remains – it is about restoring what has been lost and ensuring healthy landscapes for future generations.

The EWT extends its sincere gratitude to its funding partners, landowners, community members and conservation collaborators whose continued support makes this work possible.

 

Who are the EWT’s Restoration Rangers?

The Restoration Rangers have as their focus habitat restoration  in the heart of the Soutpansberg Mountains in Limpopo, there they are working to reverse decades of environmental degradation caused by invasive alien plants. Their daily work often includes hiking on steep, inaccessible, remote mountain slopes carrying all their equipment and safety gear up to 8 kg per person.  The specialised team focuses on removing invasive trees and plants that threaten one of South Africa’s most biologically diverse landscapes. Their work contributes to healthier catchments, improved water security, greater resilience to climate change, and stronger habitat connectivity for wildlife.

Richard Ndou is from Elim Varry Village in Limpopo.  Speaking to Conservation Matters,  Richard said he had chosen a job in restoration to help eliminate invasive alien species from the area around his village.  His involvement in the EWT’s habitat restoration initiative in the Soutpansberg has not only benefited his family financially, but also raised awareness within his community about the threats of invasive alien species.

“l chose a restoration job, because all around the Soutpersberg area villages are struggling with water because of alien plants such as massive tall trees like Blue Gums. They are highly intrusive and are disturbing the water table, because it can absorb around 260 litters per day.”

Besides saving water, Richard is also committed to saving wildlife from the “high amount of poaching all over the world”.

Since being employed by the EWT, he has learnt to identify invasive alien plants and how to control these, how to protect wildlife.

“Plants are important for feeding and trees are important for medicine. The importance of restoration saves life because we are also sharing information in the community so that they know more about restoration,”  he said.

 

Willington Mavhandu from Kutama Village joined the Restoration Rangers because of the struggle faced by villages across the Soutpansberg to access water resources limited by alien invasive species.

“These trees are highly water intensive and they are disrupting local water tables…so that is why I chose to be a ranger to save animals and water,” he said.  “I learned that animals and plants are very important and have a right to live”.

Willington believes that because of his work and learning, he is able to share information with his community of “the importance of restoration to save life”.

“I believe there is more future for Restoration Rangers as there is a lot of work to be done all around the world. Everyone is impressed with the work we are doing. My family and I are benefitting a lot with support, knowledge and training from EWT and we are willing to work harder and harder,”  said Willington.

 

Michael Sithagathaga is from Khavhambe village.  He joined the Soutpansberg Restoration Rangers  to learn new skills in conservation and to use his energy to fight things like erosion, bushfires and invasive plants.

“I want to protect our heritage,” he said.

“Since I joining the ranger team, I learnt lot about conservation, how to identify invasive plants, control bushfires, do anti-poaching patrol and also work as team spirit, take care of equipment.  My is important because we are protecting the Soutpansberg mountains. This area gives us clean water, fresh air and home for wildlife,”  he said.

Michael believes there is a future for Restoration Rangers in South Africa, and around the world.  “Yes there is a future. South Africa is dealing with drought, floods and erosion, so restoration of land and rivers is one of the main ways we can fix for next generation”.

His employment by the EWT team, he said, has a number of benefits for him, and his family.

“As a restoration ranger, it has helped my family a lot. I’m able to provide food, pay transport for school and also supply my family with skills and knowledge about how to take care of nature and water,”  said Michael.

 

Sengani Ramalamula also hails from Khavhambe Village and joined the Restoration Rangers because wants to conserve wildlife.

During his time in the ranger unit, he has learnt to “solve problems continuously”.

Sengani believes his new role as a Restoration Ranger is important because it helps rebuild native habitat and “helps support households through community development and land rehabilitation”.

“There is a powerful, essential future for Restoration Rangers because nature always needs repair.  Through this project I am able to understand conservation, wildlife and support my family financially,”  said Sengani.

 

The EWT’s Field Rangers at Medike reserve

The Medike Reserve in the Soutpansberg boasts three full-time field rangers and four conservation interns.   The team has a variety of responsibilities as field rangers, such as law enforcement & monitoring which includes patrols, snare removal, and anti-poaching,  hiking trail support on the Old Salt Trail, veld fire control, invasive alien plant removal and infrastructure maintenance that includes plumbing, building and road revamps.   This team also does environment awareness in the local community and among tourists, ensure the accommodation is ready for visitors, interpretive guiding and dealing with guests.

The full-time team are:

Oscar Musevhula is one of the longest serving staff members at Medike. He has been working in the Medike East area for 14 years, and is an active member of the anti-poaching team. Oscar is handy man, he helps the reserve with plumbing and building.

Khathutshelo Mukhumeni has been trained as a law enforcement field ranger. He is also handy man. He has been active in conservation guardianship and law enforcement. He recently developed an interest in field guiding and is supporting our hikes. Khathutshelo is also capacitating conservation interns on anti-poaching, snare removal and the basic skills of field guiding .

Micheal Modimana  has been involve in alien plant removals and snare removal. He is the main Kubota TLB driver during roads maintenance. He is also our slackpacked driver during the old Salt Trail.

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Threat Reduction Rangers spring into action to save snared lion

Threat Reduction Rangers spring into action to save snared lion

In the field:

Threat Reduction Rangers spring into action to save snared lion

 

EWT Threat Reduction Rangers assisting a veterinarian during the rescue of a snared male lion.

The EWT’s new Threat Reduction Team in July spent a Friday night assisting with the rescue and treatment of a male lion caught in a snare.

The lion, from one of neighbouring reserves, had been missing for about a week before reserve staff managed to locate him and noticed the severe snare around his neck. The Threat Reduction Team sprung into action and managed to locate the lion.  Once darted by a vet, the rescue became a team effort with everyone helping to move the lion to a safe area, hold drips, clean and treat the wound, and assist throughout the procedure.

The snare was extremely serious, and the intervention came just in time. Thanks to the team’s efforts, this magnificent lion will be a whole lot more comfortable and should make a full recovery.

“What makes this even more meaningful is that, after spending the last few days learning about wildlife crime and the devastating impacts of snaring, our new Threat Reduction Team witnessed firsthand why their work matters. Experiences like these leave a lasting impression and reinforce the importance of what we do every day to protect South Africa’s wildlife.

“I couldn’t be prouder of this team. They were professional, observant, eager to help, and genuinely engaged throughout the operation. This is exactly the kind of commitment and teamwork that will make a real difference in tackling wildlife crime,”  said Derek van der Merwe, manager of the EWT’s Carnivore Conservation Unit.

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Birds in Decline: Comparing Road Surveys and Citizen Science Data in South Africa

Birds in Decline: Comparing Road Surveys and Citizen Science Data in South Africa

Birds in Decline: Comparing Road Surveys and Citizen Science Data in South Africa

By: Erin Adams and Lizanne Roxburgh, Conservation Planning and Science Unit

 

Researchers conducting roadside bird surveys to monitor raptor populations in South Africa.

Monitoring animal populations is a crucial part of conservation, but it can be very expensive and time-consuming. As a result, researchers are increasingly turning to citizen science platforms, which provide valuable data, especially in areas where information is limited.

While well-established citizen science programmes exist in the Global North, many biodiversity-rich regions in the Global South remain underrepresented. South Africa, for example, has some of the highest levels of bird species richness in the world, but it is also experiencing significant declines in bird populations.

To help address this gap, the Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2 (SABAP2) was launched in 2007 and has been running ever since. SABAP2 uses a checklist approach, where participants record whether species are present or absent during surveys. This makes it useful for tracking changes in where species occur. In addition, repeated surveys over time allow researchers to estimate changes in how often species are reported, which can provide insights into their abundance. However, checklist-based data may not always be reliable for measuring changes in population size across large areas or for multiple species. To investigate this further, a recent study co-authored by EWT scientists* tested how accurate this type of citizen science data really is.

The researchers examined population trends for 26 bird species in South Africa, including 18 raptors and eight large terrestrial bird species. They conducted road counts along 752 transects, covering nearly 400,000 km across different biomes (Nama-Karoo, Savanna, and Grassland) in central South Africa between 2009 and 2025. The average transect was 521 km long, with some as short as 80 km and others up to 2,300 km.

During these surveys, one of the researchers drove at 80 km/h on unpaved roads and 120 km/h on paved roads. All raptors and large terrestrial bird species seen (whether flying or perched) were counted along each transect. Birds were identified visually, or, when necessary, by stopping to use binoculars. A GPS device was used to record the exact location of each sighting, along with the number of individuals observed. The data collected from these road counts were then compared with SABAP2 data for 24 of the 26 species, focusing on the same area and time period.

The researchers found that the road count data showed that half of the species (13 out of 26) declined significantly over the study period, while only three species (12%) showed significant increases. The remaining ten species (38%) showed no clear trend.

In contrast, the SABAP2 data suggested a very different picture. Only 3 out of 24 species (13%) showed significant declines, while 11 species (46%) appeared to be increasing. The remaining ten species again showed no clear trend.

When the researchers compared whether trends were increasing or decreasing (regardless of whether they were statistically significant), they found that the two methods agreed only about half the time. In most cases where the results differed, road counts showed declines, while SABAP2 suggested increases.

These findings indicate that many raptors and large terrestrial bird species in South Africa have been declining at worrying rates over the past 16 years, with only a few species showing increases. The exact causes of these declines are not fully understood, but elsewhere in Africa they have been linked to pressures associated with growing human populations, such as expanding agriculture and poaching.

Importantly, this study shows that a checklist-based citizen science programme like SABAP2 may fail to detect population declines in around half of cases. Despite this limitation, SABAP2 and similar atlas projects across Africa remain some of the best tools currently available for monitoring biodiversity.

With some improvements in how the data are collected or analysed, these programmes could become even more accurate and valuable for conservation.

* Zuluaga, S., Murgatroyd, M., Visagie, R., Tate, G., & Amar, A. (2026). Road counts expose widespread declines in South African raptors underestimated by atlas data. Biological Conservation, 111764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2026.111764

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Planning for Flight Paths: Bird Monitoring at Energy Infrastructure

Planning for Flight Paths: Bird Monitoring at Energy Infrastructure

Focus on Wildlife in Nature

As Africa’s energy needs increase, and the continent embraces the growth and implementation of green energy, a number of innovative methods have had to be developed to reduce the negative interactions between wildlife and infrastructure.

The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife and Infrastructure  Unit, has developed numerous innovative methods to reduce these interactions, work to positively influence utilities’ wildlife management policies, and ultimately phase out problematic processes and hardware. Through adaptive management and the development of pioneering and innovative techniques, South Africa is now recognised as a world leader in managing the burden of wildlife damage on electrical infrastructure while addressing the threats to wildlife.

In the second article in a series of three about the work being done by the EWT to mitigate the effect of power lines on wildlife, particular birds.

Planning for Flight Paths: Bird Monitoring at Energy Infrastructure

By Hennie de Beer, Tamanna Patel, Matt Pretorius, Oscar Mohale, Kish Chetty

 

Conservation scientists inspecting power lines for evidence of bird collisions.

Pre-construction monitoring cannot predict everything. Once infrastructure is operating, post-construction monitoring tracks what happens and adaptive management responds. Addressing problems during operation is almost always more costly than getting the planning right from the start, but some risks only become visible during operation. This article looks at what South African monitoring reveals, how adaptive management responds when problems emerge, and the interventions that are saving birds’ lives as a result.

What post-construction monitoring involves

Trained observers conduct regular carcass searches beneath turbines and along power lines, with results adjusted for scavenger removal (the proportion of collision fatalities removed by scavengers before carcass searchers can detect them) and searcher efficiency (the proportion of fatalities found versus missed by carcass searchers). Where overhead power lines are part of a wind farm, the same specialist teams extend their searches to those lines. Beyond a wind energy facility (WEF)’s footprint, no structured monitoring programme exists for power lines.

Monitoring relies on incident-based reporting through the Eskom and Endangered Wildlife Trust Central Incident Register, and on incidental discovery and ad hoc annual power line patrols. For power lines in sensitive areas, a structured monitoring and adaptive management plan must be part of the Environmental Management Programme (EMPr), something to extend and learn from the wind energy sector. Monitoring results feed into formal reports submitted to regulators every six months. This work is not simply counting; it is a verification process that compares actual outcomes with predictions, identifies what was missed, and triggers mitigation before losses accumulate.

What monitoring reveals

A recent analysis of post-construction data by BirdLife South Africa from 33 South African wind farms has produced results that challenged pre-construction predictions. Pre-construction surveys missed raptors nesting very close to turbines; this only became clear once carcasses were found.

Verreaux’s Eagle deaths peak between April and August, driven by the demands of the breeding season. Dassie colonies have also played a role, drawing hunting eagles toward turbines at some sites. New above-ground power lines brought a secondary hazard: in open landscapes where perching structures were scarce, freshly installed pylons attracted raptors to infrastructure that posed electrocution risks.

Success stories: when monitoring drives results

Landowner engagement for vulture-friendly farming has roots in power line conservation work that predates the wind energy sector. Wind farm operators have since adopted and expanded this approach through vulture food management programmes, using dedicated patrol teams to remove any dead animals promptly and reduce the food-related draw on turbine areas.

At one Eastern Cape wind farm, this reduced the Cape Vulture fatality rate from 0.07 to 0.02 vultures per turbine per year, a reduction of more than 70 percent sustained over six years. The same principle continues to be extended to power lines, pairing vulture-friendly farming practices with diverter installation on high-risk spans.

Shutdown on Demand places trained observers (Observer-led SDoD) at vantage points to watch for priority species approaching turbines, halting the relevant turbines within seconds of detection. By mid-2024, Observer-led SDoD programmes had been established at five South African wind farms: Dorper, Excelsior, Jeffreys Bay, Golden Valley and Roggeveld.

At a Western Cape site near the Potberg Cape Vulture colony, this prevented an estimated 7 to 19 Cape Vulture and one to four Black Harrier fatalities in a single year. The Black Harrier faces a zero-fatality threshold: the species cannot sustain any further mortality at all, making every fatality avoided critical at the population level. Weather, human error, and communication delays constrain its reliability. At Excelsior Wind Farm near Swellendam, Observer-led SDoD caused just over 56 hours of downtime in almost three years of operation, equating to less than one per cent of revenue lost, directly addressing concerns about implementation cost. Automated detection systems (technology-driven SDoD) combining cameras and artificial intelligence must be more widely tested as a complement to human observers if Shutdown on Demand is to scale effectively across the sector.

Blade patterning works by painting one blade to break the motion smear that makes rotating turbines effectively invisible to approaching birds. In Smøla, Norway, a single black blade reduced eagle fatalities by 100 % relative to unpainted controls over 10 years. At Umoya Wind Farm near Hopefield, South Africa, a trial using single red-striped blades on four turbines produced preliminary but promising results, recording zero raptor fatalities in the 16 months following patterning, compared with seven in the equivalent pre-treatment period. From at least two experiments conducted globally to date, further testing across different species and environments remains critical.

Securing approval to paint turbines blades a colour other than white required a coordinated push from South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA), BirdLife SA and the Birds and Renewable Energy Specialist Group (BARESG) to obtain a Civil Aviation Authority blanket permit in January 2024, as existing regulations required blades to be white. Avifaunal specialists recommending this mitigation should consult the SAWEA/BirdLife SA/BARESG Blade Patterning Guidelines 2024 to ensure optimal design, colour and treatment coverage.

Post-construction monitoring at two Northern Cape wind farms over five years identified 12 Verreaux’s Eagles and 3 Martial Eagles electrocuted on above-ground collector lines. Wooden perches were installed to draw birds away from energised components, and insulation of the most dangerous structures was recommended. Underground burial of collector lines should be standard practice at all new wind farms where site conditions allow.

Getting mitigation selection right

Proving whether a measure is effective requires more than watching fatalities fall after it is introduced, since rates vary naturally from year to year. The most reliable evidence comes from Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) designs that retain a comparison group.

This is not without controversy: the idea of deliberately leaving some turbines unpainted or some spans unmarked while bird fatalities continue is difficult to defend on conservation grounds alone. But without controls, background fatality rates are difficult to determine, and any observed improvement cannot be confidently attributed to the intervention. The practical solution is deliberate zoning: designating certain turbines or line sections as study controls while fully marking those nearest to sensitive areas or known breeding sites.

Bird flight diverters (BFDs) are devices attached to power line cables at regular intervals to increase their visibility to birds in flight, reducing collision risk. The choice of diverter design matters as much as the decision to mark a line. Most diverters are designed around daytime-active species, but cranes, bustards, and flamingos are also active in low-light conditions, and a diverter without features suited to be effective during periods of reduced visibility offers little practical protection. Recommending that every span (line section between two towers) be marked from the outset, while well-intentioned, can also preclude measuring whether the chosen design works for the relevant species. Proving BFD effectiveness through BACI studies requires that collision rates are comparable across treatment and control spans before marking begins, a condition that is more complex to meet on power lines than at turbines and demands careful study design from the outset. Article 3 examines this in more detail.

A long-term commitment

Monitoring and mitigation continue for as long as a facility operates. Wind farms have an operational life of approximately 20 years; power lines can remain in service for 50 years or more. These are operating costs, not construction costs, and should be planned and budgeted from the outset, not treated as afterthoughts once infrastructure is commissioned. For power lines, the difficult question is whether mitigation implementation is built into asset management plans that span half a century, or whether it disappears once construction is complete. Developers, regulators, avifaunal specialists, and the governments and development banks financing South Africa’s energy expansion all have a role in ensuring this commitment is sustained.

When knowledge saves lives

Post-construction monitoring creates a learning loop: every discovery feeds into adaptive management and improves how future projects are designed. Vulture food management, Shutdown on Demand, blade patterning, and infrastructure retrofits all demonstrate what that loop achieves. But it only works for infrastructure that is being watched.

The Endangered Wildlife Trust is in the early stages of developing guidelines for power line bird mitigation in South Africa, a development that will give practitioners the standardised framework the sector currently lacks. Article 3 turns to the power lines with no scheduled monitoring, the species whose behaviour we still do not fully understand, and the path to closing these gaps.

 

Further reading
  • BirdLife South Africa 2025. Summary Bird Monitoring Reports from Operational Wind Energy Facilities in South Africa. BirdLife South Africa Occasional Report Series No. 3. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa. https://www.birdlife.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Summary-of-Bird-Monitoring-Reports-Final-Version.pdf
  • SAWEA, BirdLife South Africa and Birds and Renewable Energy Specialist Group (BARESG). 2024. Blade Patterning Guidelines for Avian Specialists. South African Wind Energy Association and BirdLife South Africa. https://www.birdlife.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/SAWEA-BLSA-Blade-Patterning-Guidelines-2024.pdf
  • May, R., NygÃ¥rd, T., Falkdalen, U., Ã…ström, J., Hamre, Ø., and Stokke, B.G. 2020. Paint it black: Efficacy of increased wind turbine rotor blade visibility to reduce avian fatalities. Ecology and Evolution. 2020:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6592
  • Stokke, B.G., NygÃ¥rd, T., Hamre, Ø., and May, R. 2024. NINA Report 2333. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Norway.
  • Smallie, J., Froneman, A., Smith, D.L., and Mulvaney, J.M. 2024. Shutdown on Demand for the mitigation of bird collision risk at onshore wind farms in South Africa. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Securing the Future of Medicinal Plants Through Community Action

Securing the Future of Medicinal Plants Through Community Action

Securing the Future of Medicinal Plants Through Community Action

By Jenny Botha, Phomelelo Malatji, and Lufuno Konanani

 

For millions of South Africans, traditional medicine is not an alternative form of healthcare — it is a trusted source of healing and wellness, and is often practiced alongside conventional medicine. Nearly 60% of South Africa’s population depend on traditional healing practices, many of which depend on medicinal plants that have been used for generations.

Historically, these plants were harvested within systems of customary law that protected both the species and the knowledge associated with them. Seasonal restrictions, spiritual protocols, and community oversight helped ensure that harvesting remained sustainable. Trees such as the Baobab, Marula, and Leadwood, were regarded as sacred and could only be cut after permission was granted and cultural rituals performed. In many areas, sacred groves were protected so strictly that only designated spiritual leaders could enter them.

Today, medicinal plants face unprecedented pressure due to high demand, limited access to land and natural resources, the loss of natural vegetation, and constrained enforcement capacity. Many traditional harvesting areas have effectively become open-access sites, increasing the risk of overharvesting and resource depletion. At the same time, areas that support wild medicinal plant populations continue to be transformed by urban expansion, agriculture, mining, and other development activities. These challenges are compounded by historical socio-political and economic inequalities that led to loss of access to land and natural resources, placing growing pressure on the remaining wild medicinal plant resources and the communities that depend on them.

The consequences are becoming increasingly apparent. Approximately 178 South African medicinal plant species are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened species. The potential loss of these species not only threatens biodiversity; it also undermines a vital health care system, livelihoods, and our biocultural heritage. Conservationists increasingly recognise that medicinal plant conservation cannot succeed through law enforcement alone. Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs), traders, harvesters, local leaders, and communities are essential partners in safeguarding these species.

Lasting impact also requires coordinated action that protects wild plant populations while sustaining access to these healthcare resources. Since the late 1980s, various conservation organisations have implemented cultivation initiatives to support THPs access sustainable sources of medicinal plants, in certain instances with the support of private sector partners.

To contribute to these efforts, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is collaborating with the South African Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and the University of Venda as well as THPs, communities, and other stakeholders to develop practical, long-term solutions that support both sustainable use and the conservation of medicinal plants.

Our approach incorporates four main pillars:

  • Creating reliable, legal sources of medicinal plants through the scaling of cultivation and other culturally appropriate measures
  • Monitoring and improving the management of wild plant populations
  • Supporting local leaders and communities to strengthen harvesting controls and governance
  • Facilitating the sharing of knowledge of biodiversity and wildlife legislation
 
Scaling cultivation 

Following extensive engagement with THPs and other stakeholders, the EWT co-developed a medicinal plant cultivation training course with horticulturalists from SANBI. Since its launch, we have co-hosted seven workshops in Gauteng, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal, often in partnership with regional conservation officials.

Participants learn site preparation, propagation techniques, soil and water management, and the basics of wildlife legislation. Each receives a starter pack containing tools and seedlings, followed by ongoing mentorship through field visits and social media support groups. Additional seedlings are provided in follow up visits. Our goal is to provide each participant with a diverse selection of species to enable them to start cultivating as many of the plants they need as possible.

Feedback has been extremely positive, with THPs and other community members sharing photos and feedback of their plants’ growth through social media, as well as any challenges that they might be experiencing.

In the words of a Gauteng participant,

“Siyafunda ukutshala ukuze izingane zethu zingasahlali zithatha yonke into ehlathini”

(“We are learning to cultivate so that our children will no longer need to take everything from the forest.”)

Traditional Health Practitioners learning to cultivate indigenous medicinal plants during an EWT and SANBI training workshop.

Rhofiwa Netshituni and Rhofiwa Radzilani from SANBI provide participants with guidance during a practical session in a three-day medicinal plant cultivation training course

Left: Lufuno Konanani from the EWT providing theoretical training to a group in Limpopo. Right: Collecting seed during a cultivation training course.

Since many consumers rely on traditional medicine as an affordable and accessible healthcare option, cultivation efforts must not lead to major price increases. This can be challenging as conventional cultivation costs can be high. To avoid this, we encourage growers to plant through low cost, organic agroforestry approaches at their homesteads wherever possible, rather than establishing expensive nursery-based production systems. This reduces cultivation costs, aligns with cultural practices, and promotes natural integrated pest management and other approaches that reduce the need for synthetic pesticides or inorganic fertilisers.

A THP from KwaZulu-Natal summed up the approach:

“Uma sikwazi ukuzikhulisela lezi zitshalo emakhaya ethu, siyakwazi ukuvikela imvelo futhi sisize imindeni yethu ngesikhathi esifanayo.”

(“If we can grow these plants at our homes, we can protect the environment while supporting our families at the same time.”)

While cultivation contributes to the protection of species an ongoing access to plants, it will take time to grow sufficient volumes of the wide range of species that are used in traditional medicine. This means that plants will continue to be harvested in areas that they occur naturally. If species at risk are to survive into the future, we need to reduce the impacts of harvesting on natural populations and, in many areas, improve the management of their habitats.

 

Improving the management of naturally occurring medicinal plants

In Limpopo, the EWT is working with harvesters, two students and their supervisors from the University of Venda to assess the impacts of harvesting on medicinal plant populations growing near a village on a major transport route. The area is vulnerable to regional and cross-border trade, making this an important conservation priority.

Traditional medicine and biodiversity conservation brought together through medicinal plant cultivation initiatives.

Assessing the impact of harvesting on medicinal plants growing in Limpopo

 

Preliminary findings offer cause for both concern and opportunity. On some sites, clear efforts have been made to harvest responsibly by cutting limited amounts of bark or root from individual trees. On a neighbouring site, however, trees have been heavily harvested leading to several mortalities.

So far, twelve medicinal plant species have been assessed, four of which are legally protected.  These are Mountain aloe, Bushveld saffron, Tamboti and Transvaal red milkwood. The Bush Saffron is listed as Near Threatened on South Africa’s Red Data List.

Over the next two months, we will expand our assessments to harvested sites on two reserves, including a community-owned reserve in Limpopo, where local leaders have requested support in managing unsustainable harvesting occurring on their land.

 

Rebuilding local stewardship

Legal harvesting requires permission from the landowner and, where protected species are involved, the appropriate permits. Permit requirements may apply to the collection of plants, plant material, seeds, and other propagation material, and certain activities may be regulated to ensure sustainable use and conservation.

Although harvesters still often seek permission from local leaders before accessing natural resources, this does not always occur. Many community leaders face considerable challenges in managing harvesting pressures, not only for medicinal plants but also for fuelwood, building materials, and other natural resources. In the past, conservation and forestry officials played a more active role in supporting sustainable resource use through regular patrols, monitoring, and compliance measures. Today, state agencies are severely under-resourced, short staffed, and responsible for extensive geographic areas, reducing their capacity for support. At the same time, many THPs and other community members are simply unaware that certain species are protected or that particular harvesting practices may be unlawful.

To help bridge this gap, the EWT is facilitating discussions with local leaders, THPs, communities, police officials, and conservation authorities in several highly biodiverse areas. In March 2026, a workshop aiming to explore the impact of wildlife offences and raise awareness of legislation in Limpopo brought together community members and law enforcement officials to identify practical ways of improving compliance without eroding livelihoods.

The active involvement of local leaders and communities is essential to the success of this approach. Equally important is building a shared understanding of the threats facing medicinal plants and other natural resources, while raising awareness of relevant legislation and the broader social and environmental impacts of wildlife offences. Achieving lasting change requires a creative and collaborative approach that strengthens stewardship and resource management, supports effective local controls, and promotes fair and accountable systems of governance.

 

A shared responsibility

Conserving medicinal plants is about more than preventing the decline of species. It is about rebuilding and safeguarding the connections between people, culture, health, and the natural world, and ensuring that these relationships continue to benefit future generations.

Addressing the threats facing medicinal plants requires a multi-faceted approach, grounded in an understanding of the sociocultural and market dynamics that influence their use and trade, and a commitment to balancing conservation with the needs of the people who depend on these resources. This longstanding, complex conservation challenge cannot be addressed by a single organisation acting alone. Lasting success depends on collaboration, shared stewardship, and a commitment to ensuring that medicinal plants remain available to support health, livelihoods, cultural practices, and biodiversity for future generations.

“Medicinal plants connect biodiversity to daily life in a very direct way.

When a species disappears, we lose more than a plant.

We lose knowledge, livelihoods, and part of our cultural heritage”

– Lungisani Zondi, SANBI

 

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Discovering species in the unforgiving Orange River—Karoo Conservation Area of Namibia

Discovering species in the unforgiving Orange River—Karoo Conservation Area of Namibia

Discovering species in the unforgiving Orange River—Karoo Conservation Area of Namibia

By Ruan Stander of the Threatened Endemic Species team and Renier Basson of the Drylands Strategic Conservation Landscape

 

BioBlitz field team exploring the rocky landscapes of Namibia's Karoo. Ptenopus kenkenses

left: Ptenopus kenkenses (Photo: RI Stander)

A recent BioBlitz survey in a landscape that appears sparse and devoid of life delivered exceptional results with the discovery of one unresolved species and several undocumented species.

We spent more than a week in an 8,500 ha portion of the  Orange River – Karoo Conservation Area (ORKCA) of southern Namibia’s ǁKharas Region  targeting small mammals, invertebrates and herpetofauna, species the EWT team are primarily responsible for.

For those alarmed by or unfamiliar with the word ‘herpetofauna’, the term refers to reptiles and amphibians and is derived from the classical Greek ‘herpeto’ [ερπετό] – ‘creeper/crawler ie., to crawl/creep’ – the root of the Greek word for reptile. Herpetology is thus the branch of zoology that studies reptiles and amphibians, and the term ‘herping’ is used to describe the act of searching for herpetofauna, i.e. an equivalent to ‘birding’. Birders bird and herpers herp.

The relatively recent rainfall had left the landscape lush with greenery and flowers, which initially suggested that insect activity would be high. Unfortunately, the weather was not in our favour, with daytime temperatures rarely exceeding 16 °C. The first week was windy and overcast, with slightly higher temperatures, whereas the second week was sunny and calm but considerably colder.

Rocky outcrops and arid habitat in Namibia's Orange River–Karoo Conservation Area.

Left: Goggia lineata_RI Stander.

As a result of these unfavourable conditions, insect activity was much lower than anticipated. Evening light trapping using a UV light and white sheet proved to be the most effective sampling method, yielding the highest diversity of species, particularly inconspicuous Karoo moths and aquatic insects. In addition, the pitfall and funnel traps deployed in the drift fence trap arrays for the reptile survey captured a wide variety of interesting ground-dwelling invertebrates. Reptile activity on the other hand was higher than expected, but extremely localised and limited to diminutive species that can rapidly thermoregulate. Only three individuals representing three species were captured in the trap arrays, while all other reptiles were found by actively searching for them where they sheltered from the cold.

Reptile surveys revealed significant range extensions in the Orange River–Karoo landscape.

Left: Bitis caudalis_RI Stander. Right: Giant Antlion larva (Palpares immensus)._RJ Basson

Our survey added 10 reptile taxa to the ORKCA species list, bringing the total number of species known from the conservation area to 41. Of the 28 reptile species (24 lizards and four snakes) documented in this survey, two represented significant eastward range extensions (Goggia lineata – Striped Pygmy Gecko and Platysaurus attenboroughi – Attenborough’s Flat Lizard) and at least five filled an important genetic sampling gap (G. lineata, Acontias lineatus – Striped Legless Skink, Bitis caudalis – Horned Adder, Ptenopus kenkenses – Nama Barking Gecko and Platysaurus broadleyi – Augrabies Flat Lizard). This marks one of the first occasions on which P. broadleyi has been reported in Namibia, and is the first documented case of sympatric occurrence between it and P. attenboroughi. One amphibian species was also observed.

Attenborough's Flat Lizard recorded during the Orange River–Karoo BioBlitz.

Left: Platysaurus broadleyi (RI Stander). Right: Platysaurus attenboroughi (RI Stander)

Thirteen small mammal taxa were recorded and one of the unexpected highlights was the Reddish-grey Musk Shrew (Crocidura cyanea). This genus is taxonomically cryptic and unresolved, and our survey has therefore contributed meaningfully towards future studies of the group.

Approximately 177 insect species were documented, representing 51 families and 11 orders. Beetles (Coleoptera) were by far the most species-rich group, with 65 species (37% of all recorded insects), including 30 species of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae). An interesting darkling beetle belonging to the genus Machla was collected and is likely to represent an undescribed species. Most beetles were captured in pitfall and funnel traps.

Darkling beetle collected during a biodiversity survey in Namibia.

Left: A potentially undescribed Darkling Beetle (Machla sp.)_RJ Basson

A particular focus of the survey was Rock Hyrax (Dassie) middens in rocky outcrops, where we searched for beetles associated with dung, particularly members of the Scarabaeidae. Remains of three fruit chafer species (Cetoniinae) were found in middens: Rhabdotis albonotata and Leucocelis franki in Dassie middens, and Anoplocheilus namibicus in a Klipspringer midden. The records of Rhabdotis albonotata (chafer beetles) represent the first observations of this species on iNaturalist. Remains of the Dassie midden-specialist dung beetle, Onthophagus semigraniger, were also recorded. These represent the southwestern-most records of this Namibian endemic.

Scale cricket likely representing a species new to science.

Left: One of three potentially undescribed scale crickets (Mogoplistidae)._RJ Basson. Right: Remains of the Fruit Chafer Rhabdotis albonotata from a Dassie midden – the first records of this species on iNaturalist._RJ Basson

Lepidoptera (butterflies) was the second-most species-rich order, accounting for approximately one-third of all insect species recorded. Unfortunately, most specimens could only be identified to family level. Giant Antlion larvae (Myrmeleontidae: Palpares immensus) were also recorded, incidentally, as these are free-living and not pit-building like most other antlions.

Other notable discoveries included several undescribed species of scale crickets (Mogoplistidae). These tiny, wingless crickets were captured in pitfall traps, and three of the four recorded species are potentially new to science.

Heelwalkers (Mantophasmatodea) were also collected and are likely to represent additional undescribed species. Heelwalkers are often referred to as “living fossils”, as fossil specimens have been discovered in amber dating back approximately 45 million years. Although their evolutionary lineage is ancient, the order itself was only formally described in 2002, making it the most recently-described order of insects. There are currently 14 described species, the majority of which occur in the arid southwestern regions of southern Africa.

Heelwalker insect collected during biodiversity research in southern Namibia.

Left: A Feather-legged Bug (Dasycnemus thomseni), found in a termite nest. This is the first photo of a live specimen._RJ Basson. Center: A Heelwalker in the order Mantophasmatodea – likely a new species._RJ Basson

A very interesting and tiny feather-legged bug, known as Dasycnemus thomseni, was found in the nest of Northern Harvester Termites. This is the only record of the species on iNaturalist, and the first photos of a live specimen.

Other invertebrates recorded during the survey included scorpions, spiders, crustaceans, ticks, and mites. A total of nine scorpion species, 13 spider species, two crustacean species, two tick species, and one mite species were documented. This brings the total invertebrate species list to approximately 204 species, of which at least six are likely undescribed.

The south of Namibia remains comparatively poorly sampled and surveyed, and our BioBlitz has thus contributed tremendously both to species occurrence datasets and future taxonomic and phylogenetic studies.

 

This project was supported by the Orange River – Karoo Conservation Area

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