Assessor: Matthew Child
The level of trade is domestic, commercial and international. The trade in live animals at game auctions, trophy hunting and culling for the venison market are the main uses of the species for economic gain. The numbers taken by trophy hunts are unlikely to have a detrimental effect on the population (Vrahamis et al. 2016). Similarly, while there is poaching hing at local scales, this is largely opportunistic and not expected to impact the population.
Vrahamis S, Grobler P, Brink J, Viljoen P, Schulze E. 2016. A conservation assessment of Connochaetes gnou. In Child MF, Roxburgh L, Do Linh San E, Raimondo D, Davies-Mostert HT, editors. The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho. South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust, South Africa.https://www.ewt.org.za/Reddata/pdf/Artiodactyla%20(36%20assessments)/2016%20Mammal%20Red%20List_Connochaetes%20gnou_LC.pdf
There are at least an estimated 16,260 individuals (counts conducted between 2012 and 2015) on protected areas across the Free State, Gauteng, North West, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provinces (mostly within the natural distribution range). This yields a total mature population size of 9,765– 11,382 (using a 60–70% mature population structure).
Vrahamis S, Grobler P, Brink J, Viljoen P, Schulze E. 2016. A conservation assessment of Connochaetes gnou. In Child MF, Roxburgh L, Do Linh San E, Raimondo D, Davies-Mostert HT, editors. The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho. South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust, South Africa.https://www.ewt.org.za/Reddata/pdf/Artiodactyla%20(36%20assessments)/2016%20Mammal%20Red%20List_Connochaetes%20gnou_LC.pdf