List of mammals of Swaziland

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This is a list of the mammal species recorded in Swaziland. There are 107 mammal species in Swaziland, of which one is critically endangered, two are endangered, five are vulnerable, and four are near threatened. [1]

Contents

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:

International Union for Conservation of Nature international organisation

The International Union for Conservation of Nature is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, and education. IUCN's mission is to "influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable".

EXExtinctNo reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
EWExtinct in the wildKnown only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range.
CRCritically endangeredThe species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild.
ENEndangeredThe species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
VUVulnerableThe species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
NTNear threatenedThe species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future.
LCLeast concernThere are no current identifiable risks to the species.
DDData deficientThere is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:

LR/cdLower risk/conservation dependentSpecies which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued.
LR/ntLower risk/near threatenedSpecies which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes.
LR/lcLower risk/least concernSpecies for which there are no identifiable risks.

Subclass: Theria

Infraclass: Eutheria

Order: Afrosoricida (tenrecs and golden moles)

The order Afrosoricida contains the golden moles of southern Africa and the tenrecs of Madagascar and Africa, two families of small mammals that were traditionally part of the order Insectivora.

Africa The second largest and second most-populous continent, mostly in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres

Africa is the world's second largest and second most-populous continent, being behind Asia in both categories. At about 30.3 million km2 including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area and 20% of its land area. With 1.2 billion people as of 2016, it accounts for about 16% of the world's human population. The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Isthmus of Suez and the Red Sea to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagos. It contains 54 fully recognised sovereign states (countries), nine territories and two de facto independent states with limited or no recognition. The majority of the continent and its countries are in the Northern Hemisphere, with a substantial portion and number of countries in the Southern Hemisphere.

Madagascar island nation off the coast of Southeast Africa, in the Indian Ocean

Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, and previously known as the Malagasy Republic, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately 400 kilometres off the coast of East Africa. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Following the prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana, Madagascar split from the Indian subcontinent around 88 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in relative isolation. Consequently, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot; over 90% of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth. The island's diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife are threatened by the encroachment of the rapidly growing human population and other environmental threats.

  • Family: Chrysochloridae
    Highveld golden mole species of mammal

    The highveld golden mole is a species of mammal in the golden mole family, Chrysochloridae. It is found in South Africa and Swaziland. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, moist savanna, temperate shrubland, temperate grassland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, arable land, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, urban areas, and introduced vegetation. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Amblysomus is a genus of the golden mole family, Chrysochloridae, comprising five species of the small, insect-eating, burrowing mammals endemic to Southern Africa. All five species can be found in South Africa and some are also found in Swaziland and Lesotho.

Hottentot golden mole species of mammal

The Hottentot golden mole is a species of mammal in the golden mole family, Chrysochloridae. It is found in South Africa, Swaziland, and possibly Lesotho. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, dry savanna, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, temperate grassland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, sandy shores, arable land, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, urban areas, and introduced vegetation.

Marleys golden mole species of mammal

Marley's golden mole is a species of burrowing mammal in the golden mole family, Chrysochloridae. It is found in South Africa and possibly Swaziland. It has been separated from Amblysomus hottentotus by Bronner. Its natural habitat is indigenous forests and moist grassland, and also gardens. It is classified as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The main threats it faces are habitat degradation, either through overgrazing by cattle or the removal of vegetation for firewood, and urbanization.

Order: Hyracoidea (hyraxes)

Cape hyrax Dassie3.jpg
Cape hyrax

The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat they are well-furred, with rounded bodies and a stumpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.

Order: Proboscidea (elephants)

African bush elephant African Bush Elephant.jpg
African bush elephant

The elephants comprise three living species and are the largest living land animals.

Order: Primates

Blue monkey Diademmeerkatze.jpg
Blue monkey

The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes.

Order: Rodentia (rodents)

Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40 percent of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be keep short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (100 lb).

Order: Lagomorpha (lagomorphs)

The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.

Order: Soricomorpha (shrews, moles, and solenodons)

The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.

Order: Chiroptera (bats)

The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals in the world naturally capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)

Lion in Kruger National Park Krugerparkleiw2.jpg
Lion in Kruger National Park
African leopard Namibie Etosha Leopard 01edit.jpg
African leopard
Cheetah in Namibia Africat Cheetah.jpg
Cheetah in Namibia
Aardwolf Aardwolf.png
Aardwolf

There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.

Order: Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates)

The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.

Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

Hartebeest Hardebeest.jpg
Hartebeest
Blue wildebeest Black-wildebeest-aka-gnu.jpg
Blue wildebeest
Bontebok Bontebok-TW.jpg
Bontebok
Greater kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros.jpg
Greater kudu
Roan antelope Hippotragus equinus.jpg
Roan antelope
Mountain reedbuck Mountain Reedbuck, Redunca flavorufula at Borakalalo National Park, South Africa (10001341816).jpg
Mountain reedbuck
Nyala Female Nyala, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary.jpg
Nyala

The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ This list is derived from the IUCN Red List which lists species of mammals and includes those mammals that have recently been classified as extinct (since 1500 AD). The taxonomy and naming of the individual species is based on those used in existing Wikipedia articles as of 21 May 2007 and supplemented by the common names and taxonomy from the IUCN, Smithsonian Institution, or University of Michigan where no Wikipedia article was available.

References

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