A biodiversity poster starring a male and female mating pair of the endangered African anabantid, the Eastern Cape Rocky (Sandelia bainsii). This poster was sponsored by TOTAL (SA). The artist was Maggie Newman.

WWF-SA project:

Eastern Cape Rocky: Creating Community Awareness to Save the Endangered Sandelia bainsii .

Project sponsors:
 

Project Executant:

Dr Jim Cambray, Albany Museum, Somerset Street, Grahamstown, SOUTH AFRICA. (Jim Cambray). 

Project Summary:

Species involved: Sandelia bainsii, Family Anabantidae.
Common name: Eastern Cape Rocky
Red data book status: Endangered and on the verge of extinction.

In 1978 Dr Cambray completed a study on the Kowie River population of Sandelia bainsii which revealed a healthy population. In 1990 his alarm at conditions prevailing in the Kowie River prompted the commencement of a small-scale project in 1991 on the conservation of Sandelia bainsii and its habitat. He has involved the local community through groups such as President Award (a youth education support programme), ecoclubs, school groups, Grahamstown Municipality, Western Districts Regional Services Council and local farmers. Recent contacts  have been made with professional environmental educationists and the Project Manager of Work-for-Water thus linking the project to an EE network and a catchment management project.

Sandelia bainsii: Family Anabantidae. Sandelia bainsii is a listed endangered species on the verge of extinction. It has a limited home range (see below). Genetics has shown that it has passed through a `bottle-neck' in recent times. It is one of only two species of Sandelia and is of extreme interest to zoogeographers due to its relationships with other African and Asian anabantids. It lacks the typical labyrinth organ of the other anabantids and has a number of other specializations as recently highlighted in two PhD's. Reproductive behaviour of this species indicates other specializations.  With these interesting specializations the species would make a perfect "flagship" for an aquatic ecosystem conservation project. A captive breeding programme, linked to sanctuary areas, may prove viable for the conservation of this species combined with habitat restoration work (eg Working-for-Water Project). It also offers interesting aspects for Environmental Education linkages with existing material (TOTAL Eastern Cape Rocky (ECR) poster and brochure, Mullet on the Move booklet, Work-for-Water handouts, see attached) and School Science Expo projects.

Project Objectives:
To establish -
 * the present conservation status of the remaining extant populations;
 * if any known populations of S. bainsii are now extinct and determine why;
 * habitat/catchment restoration project links (Work-for-Water Project involvement);
 * sanctuary areas for Sandelia;
 * a captive breeding programme for S. bainsii;
 * public relations programme, using Sandelia as an example ("flagship"), to make local communities aware of the urgent need for conserving aquatic habitats in the Eastern Cape.  (It is already a component of the Environmental Education programme at the Albany Museum, see attached brochures. Networking with EE specialists. Linking  endangered species, Work-for-Water, ECR Poster, Mullet on the Move booklet and other resource material to Catchment Management);
 * To contribute further knowledge on the interrelationships and ecology of this endangered species.

Freshwater Fish:
Freshwater fish represent 25% of all the living vertebrates. Of the approximately 10 000 freshwater fish species an estimated 3 000, that is 30%, may be extinct by the year 2020. One of these species is the Eastern Cape Rocky. What has happened to the riverine ecosystems where the Eastern Cape Rocky evolved is happening to many other riverine ecosystems around the globe. Freshwater fish are good indicators and are telling us that we are seriously abusing our freshwater systems.

A unique Eastern Cape freshwater fish.
Some interesting Eastern Cape Rocky Facts
 * The Eastern Cape Rocky is almost EXTINCT
 * It is a truly unique species
 * Has been bred at the Albany Museum which has shed light on the interesting  reproductive biology
 * Only occurs in the Eastern Cape in short sections of six river systems,  Kowie, Koonap and Kat tributaries of Great Fish, and Keiskamma, Gulu, Buffalo, Nahoon River systems (True EASTERN CAPE FISH)
 * Grows to 325 mm
 * Belongs to an interesting group of fish the Anabantidae, other members  occur higher up in Africa (Ctenopoma and Microctenopoma species) and the climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) from India and Asia
 * Have a number of unique specializations
 * Have greatly reduced labyrinthine organs, accessory breathing organs,  unlike its African and Asian relatives
 * Greatly elongated swimbladder which extends from the caudal peduncle to the head
 Dr Monde Mayekiso studied the ecology of the Eastern Cape Rocky in the  Tyume River near Alice. He established that:
 * Breed between October and February
 * A fish of 70 mm standard length can have up to 7 000 eggs
  * Feed on invertebrates, crabs and small fishes
   * Prefer quiet rocky habitats where they wedge themselves between rocks or  submerged logs and wait for prey items to float or swim past
 Dr Jim Cambray of the Albany Museum has observed and made a video of the  spawning behaviour of the Eastern Cape Rocky.
 *The male clears a nest area and invites a female to his breeding area after a number of chases the pair embrace and adhesive eggs are released (see diagram)
 * The pair will mate a number of times then the male chases away the female and anything else while he guards his eggs
 * When young Eastern Cape Rockies hatch they are only 3mm in length

Distribution of the Eastern Cape Rocky:
       Eastern Cape Rockies only occur within the red area on this map.

Names behind the name:
Genus: Sandelia named after Chief Sandile (c.1820-1878) who was the son of Ngqika the paramount chief of the Rharhabe.

Species: bainsii named after Andrew Geddes Bain (1797-1864) who build roads in the Eastern Cape and found some important fossils.

Common name: Eastern Cape Rocky because it only occurs in the Eastern Cape Province and usually lives in rocky stretches of rivers. It has perfect camouflage coloration and blends in nicely with the riverine rocks.

How do the Eastern Cape Rockies breed?

Legend: Spawning sequence of Sandelia bainsii drawn from photos taken from the video recordings made by Dr Cambray. Male dark stipples and banded tail.
a - Male Sandelia bainsii clearing and preparing a nesting area;
 b - courtship, male inviting female to nest;
c-d - male bites female;
e,f,g - false pairing;
 h - start of male embrace;
 i,j -  embrace;
 k - male head thrust, and female moved to 90° eggs released;
l - male `inspecting' eggs.
 Drawings done by Dave Voorvelt.
(For more details see Cambray, J.A. 1997. The spawning behaviour of the endangered eastern Cape rocky, Sandelia bainsii (Anabantidae), in South Africa. Environmental Biology of Fishes 49(3): 293-306).

TOTAL SA Biodiversity Poster:
TOTAL S.A. have sponsored a biodiversity poster (see top of this webpage) entitled `Kowie River, home of the endangered Eastern Cape Rocky.’ The central stars of the poster are a spawning pair of Eastern Cape Rockies. The poster depicts some of the animals and plants that occur along the Kowie River at the Blaauwkrantz Nature Reserve, a reserve set aside for the conservation of Eastern Cape Rockies. The artist for the poster, Maggie Neuman, did an excellent job as she had to paint over 40 animal species, the local vegetation and represent underwater life as well as terrestrial life all in one poster. These posters are available from the Albany Museum at R10 each plus postage. The message of the poster is that one has to conserve the diversity of animals in an area not just one species. The poster also demonstrates the importance of the freshwater ecosystem to the terrestrial and vice versa.

WEB-SITES of interest:
Some websites you may want to visit to find out more about this fascinating freshwater fish:

South Africa:
The Albany Museum home page:  http://www.ru.ac.za/affiliates/am/ichthy.html

TOTAL SA: http://www.TOTAL.co.za/External_content/enviro/envir%20interest/envinterset_index.htm

If you are interested in the impact alien fish introductions are having on freshwater biota visit:
http://www.ru.ac.za/affiliates/am/m&g.html

Science in Africa, Africa's First On-line Science magazine:  http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/Trout.htm

USA
Desert Fish Council, a fact sheet on the Eastern Cape Rocky: http://www.utexas.edu/depts/tnhc/.www/fish/dfc/africa/sbainsii.html

Italy
Background on the Eastern Cape Rocky project:
http://www.crosswinds.net/~aquatica/sandeng.htm

France
C.I.L. - Information on Sandelia project
http://cil.france.free.fr/

Acknowledgements:

I would like to thank the following individuals and companies for their support of this community orientated project:
    This project would not have been possible without contributions from the following either in kind or in funding (listed alphabetically): Anabantoid Society of Great Britain, David Armitage, Eheim (Germany), Fauna and Flora International, International Labyrinth Society, Martinus Martin, Mazda Wildlife Fund (4X4 truck), National Research Foundation, Ludwig Schadhauser, Sera (Germany), Andrew and Deborah Smith, Ubuntu Welfare and Development Trust, Tetra (Germany), TOTAL  SA (poster), World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa, WtW (Germany). Sponsors of the Blue Planet gallery include the Working for Water Programme, Grahamstown municipality, ESKOM, Sasol SCIFEST, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. Dr Janice Limson and Dr Billy de Klerk are thanked for their help with the website and for 'controlling' my large images.
    I would also like to thank my family, Eve, Garth and Conrad for their help and encouragement in this project  but especially Conrad for his willing fieldwork assistance.

Some reference material of interest:

Barnard, K.H. 1943. Revision of the indigenous freshwater fish fauna of the SW Cape region. Annals of the South African Museum 36: 101-262.

Breder, S.P. & P.W. Rosen. 1966. Reproductive behaviour in fishes. TFH publications, New York, 458 pp.

Britz, R. 1995. Zur phylogenetischen Systematik der Anabantoidei (Teleostei, Percomorpha) unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der  tellung des Genus Luciocephalus. Morphologische und ethologische Untersuchungen. Unpubl. PhD thesis, Tübingen University. 125 pp.

Cambray, J.A. 1978. A contribution to the character phylogeny of the Anabantidae: with particular reference to the respiratory organs of Sandelia bainsii. Unpubl. Hons. project, Rhodes University, Grahamstown. 115 pp.

Cambray, J.A. l980. Contact organs in fishes of the genus Sandelia (Anabantidae). S. Afr. J. Sci. 76: 277-279.

Cambray, J.A. 1981. The Eastern Cape rocky (Sandelia bainsii). The Naturalist 25(1): 28-30.

Cambray, J.A. 1992. Reserve for a fish. Oryx 1992: 133.

Cambray, J.A. 1992. Save the rocky. Aquarist & Pondkeeper, England, June 1992: 8-9.

Cambray, J.A. 1992.  Old tennis racquets prove effective tools. Grocott's Mail. January 17: 2.

Cambray, J.A. 1992.  Small canoe needed. Grocott's Mail. May 15: 11.

Cambray, J.A. 1992.  Canoe, 8 more "hands". Grocott's Mail. June 5: 7.

Cambray, J.A. 1992.  Begging for the river. Grocott's Mail. October 2: 7.

Cambray, J.A. & Cambray, E.S. 1992. Blaauwkrantz nature reserve, for Sandelia bainsii. Labyrinth 62: 1-3. England.

Cambray, J.A. 1993. Sandelia has its own river, volunteers toil to save the Cape Rocky. Wild About Animals January (1): 32.

Cambray, J.A. 1993. Ein fisch mit eigenem National park. Ein HERZ für Tiere  January (1): 46.

Cambray, J.A. 1993. Der Labyrinthfisch ohne Labyrinth ist stark gefährdet das Aquarium 283: 19-21.

Cambray, J.A. 1993. Ein labyrinthfisch ohne labyrinth braucht überlebenshilfe, Sandelia bainsii. DATZ 2/93: 118-119.

Cambray, Jim 1993. Blaauwkrantz Nature reserve, Community Involvement and the eastern Province Rocky (Sandelia bainsii). The Naturalist 37(3): 8-10.

Cambray, Jim 1993. The Eastern Province Rocky. The Naturalist 37(3): 11.

Cambray, J.A. & Brink, E. 1993. Water fern invades the eastern Cape. Farmer's Weekly March 5: 34-35.

Cambray, J. and Cambray, E. 1993. Blaauwkrantz Nature Reserve for Sandelia bainsii. Aquatic Survival 2(3): 6. Canada.

Cambray, J.A. 1994. Blaauwkrantz Nature reserve, Community involvement and the eastern Province Rocky (Sandelia bainsii). The Naturalist 37(3): 8-10.

Cambray, J.A. 1994. Reservaat voor bedreigde labyrintvis. Aquarium & Terrarium Hobbyist (Netherlands). No. 3: 43.

Cambray, Jim. 1994. Sandelia bainsii. Aquatic Survival 3(4):3.

Cambray, J.A. 1994. Blaauwkrantz Nature Reserve, community involvement and the Eastern Province Rocky (Sandelia bainsii).
The Naturalist 37(3): 8-11.

Cambray, Jim. Update on the endangered African anabantid Sandelia bainsii, the Eastern Cape Rocky. Aquatic Survival 5(1): 9-10.

Cambray, J.A. 1995. Proud of the Kowie from source to mouth. Coastal news, August 1: 5.

Cambray, J.A. 1995. Brochure: City of Grahamstown EASTERN CAPE ROCKY (Sandelia bainsii) FISH RESERVE. September 1, 1995, Albany Museum.

Cambray, J.A. 1995. Sandelia bainsii - will it be next? Ichthos 45: 2-3.

Cambray, J.A. 1995. Conservation efforts to save Sandelia bainsii Castelnau, 1861 (Anabantidae) and its habitat, Kowie River system, South Africa. Abstract p. 40, Gefährdete süßwasserfische tropischer ökosysteme, Workshop, Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn.

Cambray, J.A. 1995. Sandelia bainsii will it be next? Ichthos 45: 2-3.

Cambray, J.A. 1996. Rocky, the endangered labyrinth fish of the Eastern Cape. South African Fishkeeping and Aquarium news. 1(6): 37-39.

Cambray, J.A. 1996. Ctenopoma intermedium from the Okavango. Labyrinth 87:1. (Also a set of slides was put on sale, proceeds to Sandelia fund).

Cambray, J.A. 1996. Threatened fishes of the world: Sandelia bainsii Castelnau, 1861 (Anabantidae). Environmental biology of fishes 45: 150.

Cambray, J.A. 1996. Mazda 4x4 to Museum. Grocott's Mail. December 10, p. 2.  (with photo of handover of truck).

Cambray, J.A. 1997. The spawning behaviour of the endangered eastern Cape rocky, Sandelia bainsii (Anabantidae), in South Africa. Environmental Biology of Fishes 49(3): 293-306.

Cambray, J.A. 1997. Freshwater Fish - a global biodiversity crisis. Hydrobiologia. 353: 199-202.

Cambray, J.A. 1997. Captive breeding and sanctuaries for the endangered African anabantid Sandelia bainsii, the Eastern Cape rocky. Aquarium Sciences and Conservation 1(3): 159-168.

Cambray, J.A. 1997. Eastern Cape Rocky: an Endangered Species. Environmental Education Bulletin 14 :7-8.

Cambray, J.A. 1997. Neuste Nachrichten über das Ablaichen von Sandelia bainsii. Der Makropode: 11/12: 123-124.

Cambray, J.A. 1997. Latest news on the spawning of Sandelia bainsii and its status in the wild. Labyrinth 90:1-2.

Cambray, J.A. 2000. Community involvement and the Eastern Cape Rocky (Sandelia bainsii, Pisces, Anabantidae) from the perspective of a researcher. South African Journal of Wildlife Research (30(3): 114-117.

Cambray, J.A. 2000. Update on the Sandelia bainsii project, April 2000. Labyrinth 110: 7-8.

Cambray, J.A. 2000.  ‘Threatened fishes of the world’  series, an update.  Environmental Biology of Fishes 59: 353-357 (guest editorial).

Cambray, Jim, Cambray, Eve and Armitage, David 1995. Sandelia - Arten  aus Südafrika. DATZ 2/95: 125-126.

Cambray, J.A. & Armitage, D. 1997. Espèces en péril, Afrique du Sud, Avant qu'il ne soit trop tard. Aquarium Magazine No. 133: 62-65.

Elsen, M. 1976. La vessie gazeuse et l'organe labyrinthique des anabantidae. Bull. Acad. r. Belg., 62: 49-79.

Gosse, J.-P. 1986. Anabantidae. pp. 402-414. In: J. Daget, J.- P. Gosse & D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (ed) Checklist of
the freshwater fishes of Africa.  Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgigue, Bruxelles, Belgium; Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgium; Office de la Recherche Scientific et Technique Outre-Mer, Paris, France.

Forselius, S. 1957. Studies in Anabantid fishes. Zoologista Bidrag Uppsala 31-32: 97-597.

Liem, K.F. 1963. The comparative osteology and phylogeny of the anabantoidei (Teleostei, Pisces). Ill. Biol. Monogr. No. 30. 149 pp.

Lorenz, M., A.J. Ribbink, & R. Kirby. 1995. A measure of the genetic variability in Sandelia bainsii and Sandelia capensis using crude proteins and RAPDS. Poster abstract, p. 93, Zoological & Aquatic Sciences in Southern Africa, ZSSA & SASAQS Symposium, Rhodes University, Grahamstown.

Mayekiso, M. 1986. Some aspects of the ecology of the eastern Cape Rockey Sandelia bainsii (Pisces, Anabantidae) in the Tyume River, eastern Cape, South Africa. Unpubl. MSc thesis, Rhodes University, Grahamstown. 115 pp.

Mayekiso, M. & T. Hecht. 1988a. Conservation status of the anabantid fish, Sandelia bainsii in the Tyume River, South Africa. S. Afr. J. Wildl. Res. 18: 101-108.

Mayekiso, M. & T. Hecht. 1988b. Age and growth of Sandelia bainsii Castelnau (Pisces : Anabantidae) in the Tyume River, Eastern Cape (South Africa). S. Afr. J. Zool. 23: 295-300.

Mayekiso, M. & T. Hecht. 1990. The feeding and reproductive biology of a south african (sic) Anabantid fish, Sandelia bainsii. Rev. Hydrobiol. trop. 23(3): 219-230.

Norris, S.M. 1987. Superspecific relationships within the genus Ctenopoma (Perciformes, Anabantoidei): a morphometric analysis and a preliminary phylogeny. Unpubl. M.S. thesis, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Norris, S.M. 1994. The osteology and phylogenetics of the Anabantidae (Osteichthyes, Perciformes). Unpubl. PhD, Arizona
State University, Tempe, AZ. 481 pp.

Skelton. P.H. 1987. Red Data Book - Fishes. S. Afr. Nat. Sci. Prog. Rep. 137. 199 pp.

Skelton, P.H. 1993. A Complete Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa. Southern Book Publishers (Pty) Ltd. Halfway House, South Africa. 388 pp.