RARE ENDANGERED GRASSHOPPER REDISCOVERED AT UMTAMVUNA NATURE RESERVE

12 January 2026

UMTAMVUNA NATURE RESERVE, KWAZULU-NATAL. In a remarkable stroke of luck and scientific persistence, a tiny, long-lost resident of KwaZulu-Natal has sprung back into view. The granulate bladder grasshopper (Prostalia granulata), an endangered insect not recorded by scientists since 1980, has been rediscovered alive and well in the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve, highlighting the critical biodiversity value of smaller protected areas managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (Ezemvelo).

Previously, the granulate bladder grasshopper was known from only three imprecise historical locations in Mpumalanga, the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, and the Eastern Cape. Its rediscovery at Umtamvuna Nature Reserve,which is located on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, significantly improves scientific understanding of the species’ range and reinforces the conservation importance of the reserve.

“This discovery highlights how even relatively small protected areas play a vital role in conserving South Africa’s biodiversity, including species that are rarely seen and poorly understood, findings like this reaffirm the importance of ongoing research, monitoring and effective management of our protected areas.” said Dr Adrian Armstrong, Ezemvelo’s Animal Scientist (Herpetofauna & Invertebrates) who photographed the species on 1 December 2025 at the Beacon Hill office within the reserve.

Umtamvuna Nature Reserve is internationally recognised for conserving the Critically Endangered Pondoland-Ugu Sandstone Coastal Sourveld grassland, as well as endangered plant species such as the Pondo ghostbush (Brunia trigyna) and the Pondo silkybark tree (Maytenus abbottii). The new finding together with a newly collated checklist of endemic and threatened invertebrate species demonstrates that the reserve also plays a vital role in protecting these invertebrates, whose conservation value is often overlooked.

Bladder grasshoppers are named for the inflated abdomen of the male, which amplifies their distinctive calls that can be heard hundreds of metres away. The granulate bladder grasshopper is characterised by the many tiny, raised bumps, or “granules”, on its body.

For enquiries, you can contact Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Communications Manager. MEDIA CONTACTS Musa Mntambo Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife: Communications Manager Tel: +27 (0) 33 845 1743 Cell: +27 (0) 83 284 9586 Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.