This range restricted endemic species occurs solely from the Mpumalanga Province south through to the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. It only occurs in highland grassland habitats, characterised by high altitude, rainfall and specific topographic features. Due to its specialised habitat requirements, this species range is generally localised and fragmented across the landscape.

It is estimated that this species has undergone a 50% decline over the past 10-15 years and faces a potentially significant vulnerability to future climate change. Primary threats facing this habitat grassland habitat specialist species are habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.

Project aims/activities:

  • Conduct a global assessment of the current status of this species across its range to better inform conservation measures undertaken.
  • Assess the rate of habitat loss for this species over recent times (1999 – 2017), as well as potential future loss through climate change.
  • Develop a conservation network for this species incorporating the core sites that have remained most stable and could allow the species to persist.
  • Implement stewardship initiatives to provide conservation protection for any core sites that are not situated within existing protected areas.