“But what silence! No more gazelles…”: Occurrence and extinction of fauna in Lesotho, southern Africa, since the late Pleistocene

Understanding the historical dynamics of wildlife distribution and abundance is essential to developing appropriate conservation measures. Here we investigate occurrence status medium-to large-sized fauna (excluding avifauna) for mountain Kingdom Lesotho immediate adjoining regions South Africa, from late Pleistocene present-day. We provide timelines records reported medium large faunal taxa based on: data eight published archaeological excavations, analyses several hundred unpublished 19th 20th century documents (including missionary letters, diaries, colonial reports newspapers), 58 recent oral history interviews. Vegetation climate changes through Holocene are also noted, on archaeo-botanical records. Through these sources, record 61 species surrounding over past ~21 ka, which only 22 present today. Some not previously known region documented (e.g. Temminck's pangolin). Most were during early century, but many regional extinctions a major population decline occurred between 1845 1850, owing mainly settler hunting campaigns. Subsequent have taken place wider temporal interval, due factors including overhunting, human-wildlife conflicts habitat loss. It seems that some forced into unsuitable refugia where eventually succumbed genetic erosion and/or harsh climatic conditions. Our results increase current understanding environmental changes, such as timing occurrences extinction events processes in Lesotho. Such work adds valuable knowledge heritage region. Information can be disseminated records, national reports, WWF, school educational curriculum National Parks Heritage Sites.