SA’s resilient dryland species – from tortoises to toktokkies
Beneath South Africa's seemingly desolate drylands lies a vibrant world of rare wildlife and resilient plants, all of which are valiantly battling the dual threats of human encroachment and climate change.
Often resembling scattered pebbles, Stone Buttons (Conophytum minusculum) are miniature succulents of South Africa’s drylands on the West Coast. This species is Critically Endangered due to severe illegal poaching for the international horticultural trade, which has caused drastic population declines. Climate change is also a growing long-term threat for this species, but the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Drylands Conservation Programme is continuing its work to protect these tiny, highly sought-after plants and their fragile habitats from disappearing. (Photo: Kristin Engel)
South Africa’s drylands, including the Karoo region, are often perceived as desolate and barren. But beneath the surface, there are vibrant tapestries of life, with an array of rare and endangered species – along with some common species, equally stunning to witness in person.
While in the field, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) searched high and low for the rare speckled dwarf tortoise, scientifically named Chersobius signatus, the world’s smallest tortoise and endemic to South Africa. They are highly targeted for poaching in the pet trade and threatened by road traffic and habitat destruction. These tortoises are known for their small size, reaching about 10cm in length, and for their speckled carapace, which helps them blend in with their rocky environment. The speckled dwarf tortoise is classified as an endangered species, with populations declining over the past few decades. (Photo: Renier Basson / the Endangered Wildlife Trust) With its intricate, patterned shell, the tent tortoise (Psammobates tentorius trimeni) is a hard-to-find resident of South Africa's dryland region. This species faces significant threats from habitat loss and the illegal pet trade and because of this, has been classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Drylands Conservation Programme is working tirelessly to protect this vulnerable species, ensuring its survival and the health of its vital dryland ecosystem. (Photo: Renier Basson / the Endangered Wildlife Trust) The Argiope australis, a garden orb-weaver spider with black and yellow markings. This is a common sight in South Africa, especially in fynbos regions. These arachnids are known for constructing large, wheel-shaped webs, typically stretched between bushes within a meter of the ground. Easily identified by their distinctive yellow and black scalloped abdomens, the female Argiope australis spiders are harmless to both humans and pets. (Photo: Renier Basson / the Endangered Wildlife Trust)
From the critically endangered riverine rabbit to golden moles and the Karoo dwarf tortoise, their survival is a testament to their resilience close to the ground of South Africa’s arid zones, where they face a number of threats.
These arid zones, encompassing regions like the Succulent Karoo and Nama Karoo, are globally recognised biodiversity hotspots, with a diversity of plant and animal life found nowhere else on Earth.
A sleek, secretive dweller of the drylands, the western rock skink (Trachylepis sulcata) has nicely adapted to its rocky, arid habitat across the Karoo and semi-deserts of the Northern Cape in South Africa and Namibia. While currently listed as ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List, local populations face threats from habitat loss and fragmentation due to development and, occasionally, illegal collecting. (Photo: Renier Basson / the Endangered Wildlife Trust) White Sorrel (Oxalis purpurea) peeks out from between small rocks on a farm in Namaqualand – a resilient splash of white in South Africa’s drylands. While many Oxalis species are common, this delicate flower reminds us of the diverse and often overlooked plant life thriving in harsh conditions. The species is a common and native South African plant, especially in the winter-rainfall regions. It's a hardy, low-growing groundcover with white trumpet-shaped flowers with a yellow throat. (Photo: Kristin Engel) Resembling an elephant’s foot, the Olifantsvoet (Dioscorea elephantipes) is an iconic dryland plant found across the Eastern, Northern, and Western Cape. It thrives on rocky hillsides. Although currently classified as ‘Least Concern’ on the Sanbi Red List, its population is decreasing due to illegal collection for horticultural and medicinal trade, and in some areas, grazing impacts. The EWT’s Drylands Conservation Programme works to protect this remarkable geophyte and its unique habitat. (Photo: Kristin Engel) A quiver tree (Aloidendron dichotomum) stands in a vast dryland landscape in South Africa, with rolling hills in the background under a clear sky and a slightly visible moon on a farm in the Northern Cape. (Photo: Kristin Engel) A flock of sheep grazes on a farm across the arid landscape of South Africa’s drylands. While sheep farming has a long history in these regions, sustainable practices are crucial to ensure the health of these fragile ecosystems. Overgrazing can lead to soil erosion and habitat degradation, impacting the delicate balance of dryland biodiversity. The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Drylands Conservation Programme works with local communities to promote responsible land management, ensuring that both livestock and native wildlife can thrive in these unique environments. (Photo: Kristin Engel)
Some of the drylands, like the Succulent Karoo, are home to more than 6,350 vascular plant species, with a remarkable 2,440 (or 40%) of these found nowhere else on Earth, according to the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT).
This botanical diversity, coupled with varied habitats, also supports an array of vertebrates. The Succulent Karoo hosts 75 mammal species, 225 bird species and 90 reptile species. The Endangered Wildlife Trust also records that while the Nama Karoo presents slightly less diversity, it still contributes significantly, with more than 2,000 plant species, nearly 800 (18%) of which are endemic.
But this unique natural heritage faces escalating threats. Habitat loss and fragmentation, driven by unsustainable agricultural practices, urban development and mining are relentlessly encroaching upon these delicate environments.
The Weber‘s gecko (Pachydactylus weberi) was another species we struggled to find. This small, slender-bodied gecko, native to southern Africa, is found along the Namaqualand of South Africa and Namibia. These nocturnal creatures typically shelter in rock crevices during the day. Its conservation status is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. (Photo: Renier Basson/the Endangered Wildlife Trust) The spiny agama (Agama hispida), a common sight in the drylands of southern Africa, showcases the remarkable adaptability of reptiles. With its distinctive spiny scales, this agile lizard thrives in shrubland and open, sparsely vegetated areas, often seen basking on rocks or scurrying through the undergrowth. It is currently listed as of ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List. (Photo: Renier Basson / The Endangered Wildlife Trust) The globeneck globe toktokkie (Moluris globulicollis) is a distinctive, flightless beetle of South Africa's drylands, particularly prevalent in the Western Cape's Fynbos and Succulent Karoo. While specific conservation status for Moluris globulicollis isn't widely listed, many toktokkie species face habitat degradation due to agriculture, urbanisation and unsustainable land management. (Photo: Kristin Engel)
The illegal wildlife trade also poses a danger to species such as the critically endangered speckled dwarf tortoise and the near-threatened tent tortoise, with their unique characteristics making them highly sought after.
Plant poaching is another threat, with species such as the olifantsvoet and the critically endangered stone buttons falling victim to illegal collection for horticultural and medicinal purposes.
Stone plants or vygies, as they are also known, belong to the Aizoaceae family and are a diverse and iconic group of succulents, with many species endemic to southern Africa's dryland biomes, including the Succulent Karoo and Fynbos, particularly prominent in the Western Cape. While the vast majority of these 2000+ species are of Least Concern due to their widespread nature, a significant number of localised and range-restricted vygie species are threatened or critically endangered. Their primary threats include habitat destruction and fragmentation from agriculture, urban expansion, and mining, as well as illegal collection for the horticultural trade for rare species. (Photo: Kristin Engel) The Tillite Hedgehog Lily (Massonia pseudoechinata) is a highly sought-after bulbous plant, critically rare and endemic to the Western Cape’s dryland areas, specifically found in tillite renosterveld and shale fynbos on stony flats. It is listed as Critically Endangered due to severe habitat loss from agricultural expansion and urban development, alongside the threat of illegal collection for the horticultural trade. (Photo: Kristin Engel) The tiger centipede, a Scolopendra species in South Africa, is a formidable and venomous nocturnal predator of the drylands, known for its distinctive banded appearance and powerful bite. These adaptable invertebrates thrive in a variety of dry, rocky, and semi-arid habitats, often found under stones or logs. Most Scolopendra species are considered ‘Least Concern’, but local populations can face threats from habitat destruction and human persecution due to their venomous nature. (Photo: Kristin Engel) A ghostly echo of one of Africa’s most iconic snakes, a Cape cobra (Naja nivea) moult, was found in the dryland landscape of the Papkuilsfontein farm in the Northern Cape by Alrie van Wyk. The discarded skin signifies growth and health, a testament to the cobra’s continued presence in its arid fynbos, karoo, and desert habitats. (Photo: Kristin Engel)
All of this, coupled with climate change, which is altering weather patterns and increasing the frequency of extreme events, is further stressing already vulnerable populations.
But with dedicated research, community engagement and direct conservation interventions, the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Drylands Conservation Programme, with local communities and farmers, are working tirelessly to mitigate these threats.
Their efforts extend beyond protecting individual species to preserving the ecological processes that sustain these vital, yet often overlooked, dryland ecosystems.
Often resembling scattered pebbles, Stone Buttons (Conophytum minusculum) are miniature succulents of South Africa’s drylands on the West Coast. This species is Critically Endangered due to severe illegal poaching for the international horticultural trade, which has caused drastic population declines. Climate change is also a growing long-term threat for this species, but the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Drylands Conservation Programme is continuing its work to protect these tiny, highly sought-after plants and their fragile habitats from disappearing. (Photo: Kristin Engel) 
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/1-2.jpg "While in the field, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) searched high and low for the rare speckled dwarf tortoise, scientifically named Chersobius signatus, the world’s smallest tortoise and endemic to South Africa. They are highly targeted for poaching in the pet trade and threatened by road traffic and habitat destruction. These tortoises are known for their small size, reaching about 10cm in length, and for their speckled carapace, which helps them blend in with their rocky environment. The speckled dwarf tortoise is classified as an endangered species, with populations declining over the past few decades. (Photo: Renier Basson / the Endangered Wildlife Trust)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2-2.jpg "With its intricate, patterned shell, the tent tortoise (Psammobates tentorius trimeni) is a hard-to-find resident of South Africa's dryland region. This species faces significant threats from habitat loss and the illegal pet trade and because of this, has been classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Drylands Conservation Programme is working tirelessly to protect this vulnerable species, ensuring its survival and the health of its vital dryland ecosystem. (Photo: Renier Basson / the Endangered Wildlife Trust)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/3-3.jpg "The Argiope australis, a garden orb-weaver spider with black and yellow markings. This is a common sight in South Africa, especially in fynbos regions. These arachnids are known for constructing large, wheel-shaped webs, typically stretched between bushes within a meter of the ground. Easily identified by their distinctive yellow and black scalloped abdomens, the female Argiope australis spiders are harmless to both humans and pets. (Photo: Renier Basson / the Endangered Wildlife Trust)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/4-1.jpg "A sleek, secretive dweller of the drylands, the western rock skink (Trachylepis sulcata) has nicely adapted to its rocky, arid habitat across the Karoo and semi-deserts of the Northern Cape in South Africa and Namibia. While currently listed as ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List, local populations face threats from habitat loss and fragmentation due to development and, occasionally, illegal collecting. (Photo: Renier Basson / the Endangered Wildlife Trust)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/5-1.jpg "White Sorrel (Oxalis purpurea) peeks out from between small rocks on a farm in Namaqualand – a resilient splash of white in South Africa’s drylands. While many Oxalis species are common, this delicate flower reminds us of the diverse and often overlooked plant life thriving in harsh conditions. The species is a common and native South African plant, especially in the winter-rainfall regions. It's a hardy, low-growing groundcover with white trumpet-shaped flowers with a yellow throat. (Photo: Kristin Engel)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/6-2.jpg "Resembling an elephant’s foot, the Olifantsvoet (Dioscorea elephantipes) is an iconic dryland plant found across the Eastern, Northern, and Western Cape. It thrives on rocky hillsides. Although currently classified as ‘Least Concern’ on the Sanbi Red List, its population is decreasing due to illegal collection for horticultural and medicinal trade, and in some areas, grazing impacts. The EWT’s Drylands Conservation Programme works to protect this remarkable geophyte and its unique habitat. (Photo: Kristin Engel)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/13.jpg "A quiver tree (Aloidendron dichotomum) stands in a vast dryland landscape in South Africa, with rolling hills in the background under a clear sky and a slightly visible moon on a farm in the Northern Cape. (Photo: Kristin Engel)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/12-1.jpg "A flock of sheep grazes on a farm across the arid landscape of South Africa’s drylands. While sheep farming has a long history in these regions, sustainable practices are crucial to ensure the health of these fragile ecosystems. Overgrazing can lead to soil erosion and habitat degradation, impacting the delicate balance of dryland biodiversity. The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Drylands Conservation Programme works with local communities to promote responsible land management, ensuring that both livestock and native wildlife can thrive in these unique environments. (Photo: Kristin Engel)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/14.jpg "The Weber‘s gecko (Pachydactylus weberi) was another species we struggled to find. This small, slender-bodied gecko, native to southern Africa, is found along the Namaqualand of South Africa and Namibia. These nocturnal creatures typically shelter in rock crevices during the day. Its conservation status is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. (Photo: Renier Basson/the Endangered Wildlife Trust)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/15.jpg "The spiny agama (Agama hispida), a common sight in the drylands of southern Africa, showcases the remarkable adaptability of reptiles. With its distinctive spiny scales, this agile lizard thrives in shrubland and open, sparsely vegetated areas, often seen basking on rocks or scurrying through the undergrowth. It is currently listed as of ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List. (Photo: Renier Basson / The Endangered Wildlife Trust)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/16.jpg "The globeneck globe toktokkie (Moluris globulicollis) is a distinctive, flightless beetle of South Africa's drylands, particularly prevalent in the Western Cape's Fynbos and Succulent Karoo. While specific conservation status for Moluris globulicollis isn't widely listed, many toktokkie species face habitat degradation due to agriculture, urbanisation and unsustainable land management. (Photo: Kristin Engel)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/8-2.jpg "Stone plants or vygies, as they are also known, belong to the Aizoaceae family and are a diverse and iconic group of succulents, with many species endemic to southern Africa's dryland biomes, including the Succulent Karoo and Fynbos, particularly prominent in the Western Cape. While the vast majority of these 2000+ species are of Least Concern due to their widespread nature, a significant number of localised and range-restricted vygie species are threatened or critically endangered. Their primary threats include habitat destruction and fragmentation from agriculture, urban expansion, and mining, as well as illegal collection for the horticultural trade for rare species. (Photo: Kristin Engel)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/9-2.jpg "The Tillite Hedgehog Lily (Massonia pseudoechinata) is a highly sought-after bulbous plant, critically rare and endemic to the Western Cape’s dryland areas, specifically found in tillite renosterveld and shale fynbos on stony flats. It is listed as Critically Endangered due to severe habitat loss from agricultural expansion and urban development, alongside the threat of illegal collection for the horticultural trade. (Photo: Kristin Engel)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/10-2.jpg "The tiger centipede, a Scolopendra species in South Africa, is a formidable and venomous nocturnal predator of the drylands, known for its distinctive banded appearance and powerful bite. These adaptable invertebrates thrive in a variety of dry, rocky, and semi-arid habitats, often found under stones or logs. Most Scolopendra species are considered ‘Least Concern’, but local populations can face threats from habitat destruction and human persecution due to their venomous nature. (Photo: Kristin Engel)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/11-2.jpg "A ghostly echo of one of Africa’s most iconic snakes, a Cape cobra (Naja nivea) moult, was found in the dryland landscape of the Papkuilsfontein farm in the Northern Cape by Alrie van Wyk. The discarded skin signifies growth and health, a testament to the cobra’s continued presence in its arid fynbos, karoo, and desert habitats. (Photo: Kristin Engel)")