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Morus capensis
– Vulnerable
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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AVES
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Order:
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PELECANIFORMES
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Family:
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SULIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Morus capensis
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Species Authority:
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(Lichtenstein, 1823)
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Common Name/s:
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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VU A2bce+3bce+4bce; B2ab(iii,iv,v) ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2007
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Assessor/s:
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BirdLife International
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Evaluator/s:
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Bird, J. & Butchart, S. (BirdLife International Red List Authority)
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Justification:
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This species is listed as Vulnerable since it has a very small breeding range on just six islands, and over-exploitation of its prey by human fisheries - compounded by pollution - is causing a continuous decline in the quality of surrounding waters for foraging.
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History:
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| 1988 | - | Lower Risk/least concern (BirdLife International 2004) |
| 1994 | - | Lower Risk/near threatened (Collar, Crosby and Stattersfield 1994) |
| 2000 | - | Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2000) |
| 2004 | - | Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2004) |
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Morus capensis breeds at just six islands: Bird (Lambert's Bay), Malgas and Bird (Algoa Bay), South Africa, and Mercury, Ichaboe and Possession, Namibia. Outside the breeding season, adults are generally sedentary but young range east to Mozambique and Tanzania, and regularly north as far as Nigeria, but usually within 100 km of land. In 1996, the global population numbered c.173,000 breeding pairs: 153,000 (88.4%) in South Africa, the balance in Namibia. Exchange occurs between breeding localities. Although the numbers breeding at South African islands increased between 1956 and 1996, the Namibian population declined massively. The total breeding population decreased by 31% between 1956 and 1996 (by 15% between 1978 and 1996). The colony at Possession Island now numbers only 750 pairs, and may soon be lost.
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Range Map:
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 (click for detailed map)
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Countries:
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Native:
Angola; Australia; Cameroon; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Equatorial Guinea; Gabon; Mozambique; Namibia; Nigeria; Sao Tomé and Principe; South Africa; Tanzania, United Republic of
Vagrant:
Argentina; Brazil; Chile; Ghana; Oman; Peru
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FAO Marine Fishing Areas:
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Native:
Atlantic-eastern central; Atlantic-southeast; Indian Ocean-western
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Population
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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It feeds mainly on anchovy Engraulis capensis, sardine Sardinops sagax, saury Scomberesox saurus and offal discarded by fishing boats. Fluctuations in the contribution of E. capensis and S. sagax in the diet match the changing abundance of M. capensis. Nests are built from guano. There is strong nest-site fidelity. Young birds can disperse great distances at the end of the breeding season.
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System:
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Terrestrial; Marine
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List of Habitats:
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| 9.1 | Marine Neritic - Pelagic |
| 10.1 | Marine Oceanic - Epipelagic (0-200m) |
| 13.1 | Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands |
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Threats
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Threats:
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Food shortage, following the collapse of the Namibian sardine fishery, has been the main cause of declines. Oil spills are also a serious threat: c.5,000 M. capensis were oiled during an incident in 1993. Guano collection may decrease breeding success, inhibit some birds from laying and reduce the effective breeding season. Cape Fur Seal Arctocephalus pusillus displaced M. capensis from Hollam's Bird Island. A programme to discourage seals on Mercury Island was largely effective2.
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List of Threats:
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| 1.3.2 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Extraction - Fisheries (ongoing) |
| 1.3.4 | Habitat Loss/Degradation - Extraction - Non-woody vegetation collection (ongoing) |
| 6.3.6 | Pollution (affecting habitat and/or species) - Water pollution - Oil slicks (past) |
| 8.1 | Changes in native species dynamics - Competitors (ongoing) |
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Conservation measures underway:In South Africa, Lambert's Bay and Bird Island are nature reserves and Malgas Island is within West Coast National Park. In Namibia, the three breeding islands are administered by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources. All six islands have been identified as Important Bird Areas (IBAs)1. Oiled birds are rehabilitated with success in South Africa, and the species is protected by law.
Conservation measures proposed:
Develop and implement a sustainable, coordinated fisheries plan for the region. Develop measures to prevent oilspills from illegal cleaning of ship tanks.
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List of Conservation Actions:
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| 1.1.1 | Policy-based actions - Management plans - Development (needed) |
| 4.2 | Habitat and site-based actions - Restoration (needed) |
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Bibliography
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Bibliography:
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Baillie, J. and Groombridge, B. (compilers and editors) 1996. 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. Bird Reference Citations. The numbers inserted in the text accounts above (usually in bold) refer to references. For further details on these references, click on the BirdLife International link above to go to the specific species account on the BirdLife web site. In some cases, particularly in the taxonomic notes, the references are cited using the author names. Details for these can be found on the BirdLife International web site at the following two places:
For References from A–L.
For References from M–Z. BirdLife International. 2000. Threatened Birds of the World. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, U.K. BirdLife International. 2004 Threatened Birds of the World 2004. CD-ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K. Collar, N.J., Crosby, M.J. and Stattersfield, A.J. 1994. Birds to Watch 2. The World List of Threatened Birds BirdLife International. Page Bros (Norwich) Ltd, U.K.
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