CR

Carex acocksii

Declining

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Carex acocksii faces severe threats from agricultural expansion and overgrazing in its limited South African range. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat conversion, while livestock grazing degrades the specialized wetland and grassland communities where it occurs. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that could disrupt the hydrological conditions essential for this sedge's survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

Carex acocksii inhabits specialized wetland margins, seasonal pools, and moist grasslands in the high-altitude regions of South Africa. This sedge requires specific hydrological conditions, typically occurring in areas with seasonal flooding or consistent moisture availability within montane and sub-montane grassland ecosystems.

Rocky areas· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryAwareness & communicationsLegislation

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Scarce BlackneckCR

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Carex acocksii classified as Critically Endangered?
Carex acocksii is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Carex acocksii faces severe threats from agricultural expansion and overgrazing in its limited South African range. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat conversion, while livestock grazing degrades the specialized wetland and grassland communities where it occurs. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that could disrupt the hydrological conditions essential for this sedge's survival.
Where does Carex acocksii live?
Carex acocksii occurs in South Africa. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Carex acocksii?
The main threats to Carex acocksii are 11.1, 2.3, 5.3, and ai-1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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