Smuts, 1832

(Eng) Cape or Temminck's ground pangolin

(Fre) Pangolin terrestre du Cap

In accordance with Wilson & Reeder (1993), it is included in genus Manis, even though some authors (e.g. Kingdon,1997) ascribe it to genus Smutsia. No subspecies are considered (Heath, 1992).

Lower Risk, near threatened (LR: nt).

Literature on the species' ecology is quite poor; and most of the information available refers to the southern part of the continent. The main source of information on the ecology and distribution of the species is Heat (1992). Notes on its ecology in Zimbabwe and the Transvaal (South Africa) are found in Coulson (1989) and Jacobsen et al. (1991) respectively. Status, distribution and some ecological notes are available for most of South Africa (Lynch, 1983, 1989; Pringle, 1974) and northern Namibia (Viljoen, 1982). A complete account of the species' ecology in the southern part of the continent is found in Mills & Hes (1997) and Skinner & Smithers (1990). The authors include updated distribution maps. General information on the species' ecology is also found in Kingdon (1997) and Stuart & Stuart (1997).

Known extent of occurrence

M. temminckii occurs throughout much of Southern and Eastern Africa, but it is absent from Saharan and Western Africa. Fig. 9.1.2.a, which was obtained from Heat (1992), shows its range: from central Chad and much of Sudan in the north, through Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania in the central east, to Angola, Botswana and South Africa, in the south.

This species inhabits mainly savanna woodlands and bushlands, but also grasslands; it tends to avoid forests and deserts (Yalden et al., 1996; Heat, 1992; Kingdon, 1997).

Based on these environmental preferences, the following scores were assigned (Fig. 9.1.2.b) (Tab. 9.1.2.a):

The output of the probabilistic-continuous (PC) distribution model is shown in Fig. 9.1.2.c.

Though information on the ecology of the species is quite poor, the results of the CD model are supported by field work which gave an Index of Accordance of 54.27%. The known EO appears as a continuous area from Chad to South Africa and indeed it seems to be mostly suitable: 66% of the EO is classified as suitable and 20% as moderately suitable. The combination of both suitability classes allow the species to have an almost uninterrupted range over most of the EO. However, unsuitable areas, although apparently scarce, are scattered over most of the range and especially in Kenya and Uganda. This spatial pattern is also revealed by the very high AWMSI of the suitable areas and the total AO: a mosaic of different suitability classes is obviously the most common pattern throughout the EO. Both models, but especially the CD model, show a less suitable area near the northern limits of the EO, a feature worthy of further research. About 10% of the total AO is included in existing protected areas: although it is a small percentage, it may help the species to maintain its current status of Lower Risk.