Protected and Yet Pressured: Persistence of Southern African Pythons ( <scp> <i>Python natalensis</i> </scp> ) in South Africa Despite Changing Land Use and Other Anthropogenic Threats

Abstract

ABSTRACT Around the globe, changing landscapes and habitat transformation are major factors affecting wildlife. In recent years, South Africa has experienced significant population growth and migration, leading to the transformation and expansion of both rural and urban areas, with the loss of natural areas. We used locality records to determine whether southern African pythons ( Python natalensis ) persist despite ongoing land transformation in South Africa, assess the threats they face and identify vegetation types in which they occur. We retrieved locality records of southern African pythons from literature, institutions and citizen science sources, both before and after 2015, to determine occurrence, and we used geographic information system software to map their distribution. Pythons showed an association with the forest biome, followed by the Indian Ocean Coastal belt, with slightly more records from protected areas than from non‐protected areas. We substantiated anthropogenic threats, including road mortality, electric fencing and fires. We documented 16 species of animals feeding on pythons, as well as three species that killed them without consuming them. Considering the important ecological niche that these snakes fill, as both predators and prey, it is vital that they receive as much protection as can be afforded to them. We suggest mitigation strategies for some of the anthropogenic threats southern African pythons face.