Current-day distribution of the rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus) in central South Africa and Lesotho: An evaluation based mainly on photographic and videographic records from social media

Abstract

The rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus) is a well-known venomous elapid found in greater South Africa and the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe. To evaluate its current-day (mostly 2012–2021) distribution in central South Africa and Lesotho, we examined various media sources, including Facebook, for photographic and videographic records. Records were posted or shared to a Facebook group Free State Reptiles and Amphibians (including adjacent areas and Lesotho) and saved electronically for future reference. In total we accumulated 208 Facebook records for 152 unique localities. Several localities were vague or broad, and therefore most of the original submitters of records were contacted in an attempt to confirm or refine them. Of the 139 individuals contacted, 68 (49%) responded regarding 96 records and they either confirmed the given locality names, could not add to the information, or refined them. In total, 131 (63%) of the 208 Facebook records were confirmed/verified and were thus usable for plotting on maps. The 131 records represent 86% of all verified media records, whereas only 14% (21 records) are from platforms such as iNaturalist, iSpot and ReptileMAP. All verified media records, together with literature and unpublished museum records, were plotted on a map. Our evaluation, based on verified records, showed that the rinkhals still occurs widely in the northern, central and eastern Free State Province, and several new records extend its known range westwards in central South Africa. New records indicate that it still occurs in western Lesotho, as well as the Maluti Mountains in the north of this country. Our study is the first to make extensive use of Facebook records for evaluating the distribution of a southern African reptile. We contend that a large body of photographic and videographic records for reptiles and amphibians exists on social networking sites, such as Facebook, and proper evaluation and documentation of these records can contribute significantly to knowledge of present-day species distributions.